Etched in Stone
by metalbitch18
Summary: Sig Hansen never thought he would meet another woman that would capture his heart. but when her past threatens to distroy them will their bonds be strong enough to last? R&R Deadliest Catch story. Sig/OC
1. Mysterious

This is my second deadliest catch story, hope you all enjoy it. R&R and i will update more often.

Etched in Stone

Chapter 1

"Mysterious"

I walked from the front door of my home, being sure to lock the door behind me, I made my way toward the black Dodge Ram pickup that sat in my driveway. Getting in I put the key in the ignition, turning the engine over I sigh putting the truck in gear. The afternoon summer sun shining brightly enveloping everything in its sunny rays. The humid conditions adding to the misery and for once in my life I prayed for rain. The congested roads of Seattle, Washington left me feeling aggravated and somewhat on edge. Cursing as a car cut me off I reached out, turning the radio knob the music coming through the speakers louder, trying to drown out the noise of the busy traffic. Pulling a cigarette from my light blue button up shirt I light it quickly, taking a deep inhale of the soothing smoke. It was always at this moment I began to miss the boat and the Bering Sea. It had been a hard Opilio season, we were damn happy when it was over. They few weeks at home leaving us unsatisfied and itching to get back. Having gathered enough funds over the few months afterwards by the end of June we had enough to take the summer off. It was a calculated risk the men and I were willing to take. Knowing if we didn't take just one summer off before king crab season started we may never see our kids grow up and in the end being old and gray wishing we had taken just one summer. I knew it would do the men some good to spend the time with their wives and children. I guess deep down I knew it would do me good as well. Besides the Discovery Channel producers had the great idea of pimping us around to the morning and late night talk shows to promote the next season of 'Deadliest Catch'. It had been a hard year since June and I split up. She hated that I was gone all of the time. But, the real problem was her jealousy. The show had gotten so big, before we knew it we were getting stacks of fan mail. I told the producers not to send the mail to the house. But, one slip up and June found letters sent from women all over the world. I never would of dreamed of meeting any of them, hell, I never have or never would have cheated on her. She didn't see it that way, if I didn't call home or stayed out fishing later than I planned to she would accuse me of cheating on her. With no trust and arguments it was damn hard to stay together as long as we did. Sighing I toss the cigarette butt from the truck window, trying desperately to change my course of thinking. Changing the radio station I went from channel to channel, not able to find one good song I turn it off.

"damn it." I mutter, lighting another cigarette it seemed like the more I thought about my life the more I smoked. Stopping at the line I waited for the red light to change when the sound of Hank Williams Junior filled my ears. Figuring it was an old guy driving along beside me I ignored it, continuing to wait for the light.

"Come on." I say to myself becoming more annoyed with the loud music coming from the vehicle next to me. When the song finally ended I felt slightly better, hoping the driver would turn their radio down. When I heard Korn blaring through the speakers I looked over, now intrigued by the music choice I had to look over. To my surprise my eyes scanned a younger woman. Her dark brown hair tied up into a messy bun. A cigarette in her left hand, her right on the top of the wheel. She looked at me, peering over her dark sunglasses with a smirk. I hadn't notice the light turn green, to my surprise she put the petal to the floor, I watched the Ford F-250 take off, the 33" tires screeching, the smell of rubber filling my nose. Chuckling to myself I tried to catch up to her, catching her at the next red light.

"Nice truck." I call to her, noting she was very beautiful, at least what I could see of her.

"You too, to bad it's a damn Dodge." She laughed lightly shaking her head, taking a drag from her cigarette. When the light turned green we hadn't noticed, people behind us began to honk their horns.

"Gotta go!" she smiled. "See ya around." with that she was gone. I tried to catch up to her but got caught up in traffic. The truck had disappeared. I went on with my day wondering about the mystery woman hoping that maybe one day I would see her again. Later that night Edgar and I had hit the local bar. Loud music and the smell of booze filled my nostrils.

"What is with you today?" Edgar asked, looking at the women in the crowd.

"What do you mean?" I ask, taking a sip from my beer.

"you seem distracted."

"It's just this girl I saw earlier today." I take a deep breath, running my fingers through my blonde hair. "Can't get her out of my mind."

"is she from around here?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know where she works?" Edgar asked

"No, it's just some girl I saw on the street." I tell him, feeling like a complete idiot.

"So, basically you don't know anything about her and probably won't see her again."

"Yeah, I just can't help it." I shrug.

"There's plenty of fine looking women around here, don't worry about some chick you saw going down the road." Edgar tells me, patting my back.

I shook my head, trying to push her out of my mind but, unable to.

~Two Days Later. ~

I drove down the back roads just outside of Seattle, Washington. I needed to take a drive and get my mind off of things. My ex-wife had called earlier bitching about how she wasn't getting enough child support, which the court set up, and about how the girls were constantly fighting like cats and dogs. 'not much I can do, I'm not there' I thought to myself. No matter how much money I gave her over the child support I was giving her and how many fights I broke up over the phone it wasn't enough for her. The open rolling green fields looked absolutely perfect in the summer sun. I wasn't used to such nice weather. It felt weird being on land for this long. The feeling of wanting to fish was creeping into my bones. The jingle on the radio was for a car dealership, which I ignored like most Americans I suspect. In the distance I spotted a large dot on the side of the road, suspecting it was a disabled vehicle I went on my way. As I got closer I realized I recognized the vehicle as the one from yesterday. I smiled widely, I could only hope it was her and not someone else driving her truck. Excitement ran through my veins at the thought of seeing my mystery girl again. I pulled just past the disabled truck, parking just in front of it. Pulling off my seatbelt I got out of the truck wiping the excitement from my face. My eyes scanning the front of the Ford F-250. The large hood was open all the way, I scanned the chrome grill down over the bumper. The large thirty three inch tires made the truck rather tall. Looking to the ground I spotted two bare tanned legs sticking out from the front of the truck. I couldn't help but scan the feminine legs, noting the gold bracelet on her right ankle glinting in the sun light. Black platform sandals on her feet. Suddenly I felt like a stalker but pushed the thought away when I heard her cuss.

"Son of a bitch!" those words never sounded so good.

"Need some help?" Stupidity shot through me of course she needed help, otherwise she wouldn't be stranded on the side of the road.

Two slightly dirty hands appeared from beneath the truck, landing on the bumper. Her nails were painted dark blue to match her truck. On her middle finger of her left hand she wore a class ring with a large topaz in the center of it. Noting to myself her birthday must be in November I continued with my inspection. 'no wedding ring' I noted as well with a quick smile. She appeared sitting up from underneath the truck looking up at me with the clearest dark blue eyes I had ever seen. They reminded me of the Bering Sea. She hesitantly took my extended hand, I easily pulled her to her feet. Feeling a strange sensation of electricity.

"What seems to be the problem?" I ask, reluctantly letting go of her hand as I scanned the top part of her body. Her dark brown hair was clipped behind her head in a French twist. She wore a black tank top my eyes stopping longer than I had hoped on her cleavage, and dark blue shorts that stopped at her thighs.

"I'm not sure what the problem is." she finally spoke, her voice sweeter than I remembered. "I know I broke a belt other than that its just dead." She scanned me for a few seconds then scanned my truck. "Hey aren't you that guy I saw a few days ago going down the road?"

'busted' I thought to myself.

"You're not stalking me are you?" she asked, backing up a bit.

"no, I'm not." I denied the allegation shaking my head even though I sort of felt like some old stalker. I still couldn't believe she was standing before me, I had to admit she was more beautiful than I remembered. At this point I realized I was completely smitten with the young beauty though I would never tell anyone. "just a coincidence."

"You promise?" She asks.

"Promise." I nod.

She nodded hesitantly accepting my words.

"Would you like me to call you a tow truck, and have your truck towed to a mechanic in town?"

"No way, those fuckers charge an arm and a leg." She said.

Retrieving a cigarette pack from the top of the windshield washer reservoir she pulled a cigarette from the green Marlboro pack lighting it with a silver Zippo before I had a chance to react. She offered me one which I graciously accepted. With a "thank you."

"Besides I already called a tow truck, they are going to tow me to a motel where I can fix it myself. Don't let anyone else touch my baby." she smiled fondly, inhaling the smoke deeply.

"They said it's going to be an two or three hours lots of cars over heating today in this heat." she sighed, taking a long drink from the mountain dew bottle that rested on the front lip of the truck just above the fan.

"You mind if I wait with you?" I asked.

"Free country, suit yourself, its going to be awhile." she warned with a shrug.

"I wouldn't feel right leaving you here all by your lonesome, lots of weirdoes in this world." I joked pulling up the handle to release the tailgate on my truck so I could take a seat.

"Your not from around here, are you?" I ask, taking a hit from my cigarette.

"What was your first guess?" she asked sarcastically, putting her sunglasses on her face.

"Well, your truck seems to be packed with everything you own. Where are you from?"

"some small shitting down in Minnesota." She said, pointing to the license plate on her truck.

"What are you doing all the way out here?" curiosity crept into my features as I squinted my eyes in the bright sunlight. Minnesota was a long ways away.

"Oh, it's a long boring story. But, in a nutshell my mom booted me out of the house when I was seventeen, dad split when I was little. Married when I was nineteen. I divorced him a few months ago, one night he tried to beat me so I left, I don't put up with that shit. Wow I could make a country song out of this shit." she laughed.

"Children?" I ask.

"No, thank god. I wouldn't want to share anything with that asshole." she said, dropping the cigarette butt to the ground it flopped a few times when it landed she squished the butt with her sandal. "I just need a place to start my life over."

Noticing the discomfort in her face I motioned for her to sit beside me.

"What about you? Married?" she asked, sitting beside me. Her long legs dangling off the edge of the tailgate.

"I was." I sigh, running my fingers through my blonde hair.

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking."

"Divorced. Two kids though." I smile fondly thinking about my children. "I'm a crab fisherman, gone a lot, after awhile she couldn't handle it anymore."

"Crab fisherman, eh?" She pondered for a few moments. "You're on that TV show 'Deadliest Catch', right?"

I nod, everywhere I go I get recognized. Although for once I was happy she had recognized me for some reason. "Yes, do you watch it?"

"I thought you looked familiar. But I couldn't put my finger on where I have seen you before." She smiled, I didn't think she could possibly look any beautiful until she smiled. "I've watched it from time to time, it's a good show. I must say the TV. doesn't do you justice." she smiled. "I'm sorry to hear about you and your wife. She's an idiot for letting a catch like you go."

To my surprised I blushed slightly, I couldn't remember the last time I blushed. "How long you in town for?" I asked, wanting to ask her out really bad but wanting to time it just right so I didn't seem like an overzealous jackass.

"Until I leave. Depends on how long it takes me to figure out what's wrong with my truck and to fix it."

"I uh, I would like to take you out before you leave town." I said hesitantly my hands shaking as I became nervous. I had never been nervous to ask a woman out in fact I always just asked and hoped for the best. But, this time it was different she is definitely different.

"You waste no time." She laughed her smile making my heart melt. "I'd love to."

She stood from the tailgate, going over to her truck I watched her intently studying every movement as she returned seconds later with a piece of paper. Taking it I placed the paper in the front pocket of my shirt.

"By the way what is your name?" I ask, feeling like an idiot for not introducing my self and asking earlier.

"Serena Manchester."

"Sig Hansen." I say, extending my hand. Her hand meeting mine in a handshake.

"Nice to meet you."

"How long until the truck is supposed to arrive?" I ask, looking to my watch realizing I had forgotten about a meeting with the Discovery Channel producers.

"Another hour or two." She sighs. "Look, it's going to be awhile for sure, why don't you go ahead and take off there is no reason for us both to stay. I will be fine."

"Are you sure?" I ask, reluctant to leave her alone in the middle of nowhere, especially somewhere she is unfamiliar with.

"Positive besides I have a gun in my glove box just in case." She whispered with a smirk.

I looked to my watch again, knowing I had to make the meeting. I had already cancelled several times and could no longer put it off.

"I really do have to go, can I call you later tonight to make sure you are safe?'

"sure."

"Okay, I hate to leave you. But, I will call." I promise

"You better." she smirked, pointing an index finger at me.

Reluctantly I got into my truck. Watching her in the mirror as I turned the key in the ignition the engine springing to life at my fingertips. I pulled away slowly watching as she stood in the mirror waving slightly. I watched her until she disappeared into the distance. I couldn't believe my good luck, what where the odds of meeting her again? I wondered if it was fate or a crazy coincidence I would later regret.


	2. invitation

heres the second chap, i know it took me longer than expected to get it up but here it is. enjoy.

Chapter 2

"invitation"

I sat in the conference room in a black leather swiveling desk chair. The producers chewing me out for not only cancelling other meetings but also being late to this one. I couldn't care less. Why should I? all they wanted to discuss was some bullshit about camera angles, my treatment of the cameramen, and whatnot. All I know is how to fish I don't care about anything else. I contemplated leaving the show but I would only be disappointing the fans and probably the crew, I think deep down they liked having their adventures filmed, and I just didn't want to do that. The producers went on and on, no longer interested my mind drifted off to other things. Mostly of my meeting with one Serena Manchester. Smiling like an idiot while I thought of her. I'm sure the Discovery Channel producers thought I had gone nuts by the way they were looking at me. I could only hope she had gotten to a motel safely, it had only been a few hours since I had met her for the second time. Even with our brief encounter I couldn't stop myself from thinking about her. I turned my chair to stare out the window tuning out the chatter in the background I stared at the clouds from the large building.

"Mr. Hansen." a producer said, beating something on the table.

"What?" I asked, slightly irritated having my thoughts interrupted I turned away from the window and back to the producer. Three producers sat around the table as well as the two cameramen who filmed the show.

"You should be interested in this, it has a lot to do with you." One of the men said I have been working with them for awhile but never bothered to learn their names.

"Why? I'm a fisherman I really don't care what you do with the show." This now being the hundredth time I told them I don't care. They just don't listen. "It's not like you'll use any input I have, you always end up doing the show your way."

"We are thinking of having a woman join the three main boats on the show, yours is included on that list."

I had to admit I was now interested. "No." I simply say.

"why not? It'll be a good promotion."

"It is dangerous enough with these idiots on the boat." I point at the cameramen which of whom we have saved their lives many of times. "And dangerous enough for my crew without having some greenhorn of a woman jumping around doing idiotic things." I yelled, standing I beat my fists against the table.

"At least consider it." The producer pleaded.

"Denied." I growled through gritted teeth.

They immediately backed off and that was shown to be the end of the conversation.

"Sit down, there is more to discuss."

"No, I'm done."

"Sit." The main producer growled, after a few moments I complied, sitting back in my chair. I listened to them for a few moments but, my mind didn't want to cooperate within minutes I was back to looking at the sky day dreaming again.

~a few hours later~

The sky filling with reds and orange hues as the sun began to set. But, dark menacing clouds on the horizon signaled a storm would be moving in. Excitement bubbled up inside me as I drove closer to where Serena had broken down. Luckily she had broken down on the road between my home and town. When I spotted her truck still on the shoulder I noticed it had moved at least a few inches and I wondered what had happened. Making a U-turn I parked my truck behind hers, getting out I made my way toward her driver side door. Squinting against the setting sun as she stepped out of the truck. The look on her face telling me she hadn't expected to see me so soon.

"Okay, now I seriously think you are stalking me." she says. I notice she is holding something in her right hand, though I couldn't get a good look at it.

"I'm not, I just live right down the road." I explain, trying to see what she is holding in her right hand.

"Don't come any closer!" She yelled, turning just enough for me to see it was a handgun. "Why are you still here?" I ask, stopping in my tracks.

"The tow truck driver took all of my money and tried to rape me." She told me.

Upon closer inspection I could see the tear stains on her cheeks. Her hair now disheveled one hand holding her sweatshirt tightly closed. I went to take a step closer, but was short stopped when she raised the gun.

"I told you not to come closer." she warned, pointing the gun at me, her hand shaking obviously scared out of her mind.

"It's okay." I tell her. "I want to help you."

"yeah right." she rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"really, I do. I'm coming closer." I announced nervously waiting a few seconds before taking a few steps closer. My eyes fixed on the black handgun. "Did you call the police?"

"why? They would have forced me to a hotel, I just can't afford to stay in a hotel right now." she sighed. "I have to stay here."

"No, you don't." I say, stepping slowly closer. Now only a few feet from her. When she didn't react I continued until I closed the gap between us. "You can trust me."

She was a fish out of water alone and scared. I wasn't about to give up on her. I mentally kicked myself for leaving her alone in the first place. I felt responsible for her ordeal.

"I have no where to go, now." she cried out.

"That's not true." I say, reaching for the gun I placed my hand around the barrel and took it from her hand. A sigh of relief passing through my lips. I took her hand and pulled her to me in a warm hug. Setting the gun on the drivers seat of her truck. She had given up the tough attitude and was now crying into my shirt. "it's going to be okay." I whispered, trying to calm the uncontrollable sobs that were pouring from her small frame. Lightning began to flash in the distance as I continued to hold her. After a few long minutes the sobs slowed down.

"I'm sorry." She apologized, pulling away from me, her dark blue eyes shining as she looked up at me.

"There is nothing to be sorry about, this is my fault not yours." I tell her as she pulled completely away from me, wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her sweatshirt. "I'm going to call a tow truck, have your truck towed to my house and your coming home with me." I explain.

"No, I'd be intruding." she shook her head.

"I'm not leaving you here, so either you come home with me or I'm staying here with you."

She pondered for a little while, weighing her options. I could tell she was hesitant hell I would be too. After all I'm a complete stranger. Finally I was able to talk her into it. We waited an hour for another tow truck. A comfortable silence filling the cab of my truck while the tow truck followed us toward my home. Serena sat quietly in the passenger seat of my truck. I instructed the tow truck driver where to drop Serena's truck in front of the two car garage. After the large flatbed truck left, I pulled my truck into the driveway. She hadn't said much on the short drive.

"Here we are." I smiled shortly, shutting off the ignition. I looked over at Serena.

"Are you sure you want me here?" she asked, looking to me with uncertainty and a hint of fear.

"Yes, I am positive." I nod, opening my door. She took a deep breath and finally got out as well. I asked her to pick out some suit cases from the packed pickup truck to bring into the house. Picking up the two suit cases and a small bag I lead her to the front door, unlocking it we entered the foyer where I turned on the light switch.

"Wow" she breathed, taking in her new surroundings. "You have a very nice home."

"Thanks."

"Come on, I'll show you where you will be staying." I say, motioning her to follow me up the stairway to the second floor.

"How many bedrooms does your house have?"

"four."

"Nice." she smiled. "It sure is clean in here, for a bachelor living here I mean."

"I don't spend a lot of time here." I admit, leading her down the hallway toward the second largest bedroom in the house.

"Right, fisherman." she said, though I think it was mostly to herself. "The Northwestern right?'

I nod. "Yep."

Pushing the door open with my forearm I entered the bedroom, setting down the suitcase I turned on the light switch. The room immediately becoming illuminated in a light glow. "This room has its own bathroom, my room is right across the hallway if you should need anything at all." I explain, setting the other two suitcases on the double bed.

"thank you." she smiles. "I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"Don't worry about it." I say. "It is no problem at all."

She nods, running her fingers lightly over the large oak dresser.

"So, are you hungry?" I ask, watching her investigate her new surroundings. The double bed sat in the middle of the room, a dark blue comforter covering the bed. A large oak dresser sat to the right of the bed while a matching oak vanity with a mirror sat on the opposite end of the room beside the bathroom door. The room had been originally set up for my daughters when they came to visit but, it fit Serena well also.

"I could eat." she says both of us looked to the clock on the dresser, which read seven p.m.

"Would you like to go out? Order in?"

"Why don't I just cook us dinner?" she offered. "I really don't feel like going out."

I wasn't about to turn down a home cooked meal. "Sounds good."

"I'm just going to freshen up then I will be down." she says, turning to me with a smile.

"okay." I nod, turning toward the door to exit. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

"Thank you, really."

"No problem." I say, exiting her room.

I didn't take long for her to call me into the dining room for dinner. We sat beside each other at the large formal dining table. The smell of sirloin steak, cheesy mashed potatoes, and corn filled my nostrils. Oh, we had gravy too!

"It looks and smells insanely good." I complemented, wasting no time to fill my plate.

"Shit, I forgot the rolls." she said, standing from the table. "Do you want anything else?"

"Umm.." I pondered, looking at the table.

"Beer." we both said in unison.

"great minds." I smirked.

She nodded quickly exiting the room to retrieve the other items. I quickly stood, running my fingers though my hair I looked over to my right and into the mirror. Hoping my hair wasn't too messy from laying on the couch while I was waiting for dinner to be prepared. It occurred to me that I was acting like a teenager checking myself out in the mirror but, I erased the thought from my mind when I heard the sound of her platform heeled sandals clicking closer on the linoleum floor. She returned moments later with two open beer bottles and a basket full of rolls.

"I hope you like everything." she smiled excitedly. "Although, we are going to have to do some heavy grocery shopping if I'm going to be cooking around here."

"Yeah, I didn't think there was much." I agree, spreading butter onto the hot roll. Trying not to get caught as I stole glances at the woman sitting beside me.

"So, tell me, why are you not fishing?" she asked, taking a bite from her roll.

"well, I…well, we decided that we needed a break, take the summer off and spend time with our families. We've spent so much time these last few years on the boat and doing promotions that we decided we needed a vacation of sorts." I explain.

"Vacation? Why not travel? See the world?"

"I've done enough traveling." I laugh, taking a second helping of everything. I had to admit she was a great cook. This was a lot better than the food I usually got to eat. "So, how old are you?"

"Didn't your mother teach you not to ask a woman's age?"

"Yes, but..I just.. Umm.." I stammered unable to come up with an answer.

"I'm just messing with you." she laughed. "I'm 28, 29 in November. God, I feel so old every time I say it."

"You're no where near old. I'm an old geezer compared to you." I laugh.

"How old are you?" she asked.

"43." I mutter, suddenly nervous as visions of her springing out of her chair and running away screaming her head off filled my mind.

"No way, I think you're telling me a lie." she smiled, causing me to relax a little.

Guilt ran though me as I thought about our age difference. I felt like a complete idiot having a small crush on someone so young. I wondered if she knew and I also wondered what she would say. I know I sure as hell wouldn't be thrilled if one of my daughters showed up on my doorstep with a man a decade older than them. After we were finished eating I offered to do the dishes while she relaxed on the sofa. I figured it was only fair since she had prepared the meal. I was happy for the first time in my life to have the dishwasher. In minutes the dishes were complete and the dishwasher was running.


	3. Drunken Fun

I gotta say i was completely surprised and happy to see so many reviews, TY all! i saw the geico commerical with the hillstrands and had to add it into this chapter, the two commercials i've seen were hilarious! OF course i have to add i don't own Geico, Jonathan or Andy Hillstrand, or any of the other people on Deadliest Catch...damnit.... Here is the next chapter, i admit it is kind of long but o well..the longer the better right?

happy reading

* * *

Chapter 3

"Drunken Fun"

Relaxing on in my favorite black leather recliner with a bottle of beer in one and the remote in the other I flipped through channels on TV trying to find something entertaining to watch. Serena laid on the black leather couch commenting on random things that were on TV. I sat up quickly when I saw Jonathan and Andy Hillstrand on a Geico commercial. Laughing my ass off at the commercial while Serena gave me an odd look.

"I know them guys." I explain.

"ah." she nodded.

Seconds later my cell phone began to ring, BTO's taking care of business playing for the ringer. My cell phone vibrating around the table across the room I looked to it. My legs unwilling to move I ignored it, watching TV seemed like more fun at the moment.

"Are you going to get that?" Serena asked, lifting her head from the couch to look at me.

"No." I answer shortly, taking a long drink from the beer bottle in my hand. When the tune stopped playing I knew it had gone to voicemail. With in seconds the phone rang again to alert me to a voicemail. Minutes later the BTO song began to play on my phone again. The phone vibrating near the edge of the small table, I was half hoping it would fall off the table and break.

"Answer it or I'm going to." She warned, looking to me again.

I briefly wondered if it was a hollow threat but, the thought of her taking a call from my ex-wife was a thought I didn't want to become reality. Setting the beer bottle on the small table beside my chair I pushed the recliner down with my legs I got up and got up to answer the damn thing. Grabbing the black cell phone and flipping it open I put it to my ear. "hello?" I bit out, lighting a cigarette with my free hand.

"Hey man.. what's up?" I heard Edgar's voice on the other end.

"Not much, just relaxing having a few beers." I reply, taking a seat in my comfy recliner. The sounds of the bar in the background of Edgars call made it a little difficult to hear his voice. Until he told everyone to shut up that is.

"We were wondering if you wanted to come to Pudgy's." Edgar said, laughing at something in the bar.

"I don't know.. Maybe later."

"Hey, you ever find that girl?" he asks, his words slightly slurred.

"Yes, actually I did." I looked over to Serena her eyes glued to the TV screen made it easier to steal glances of her.

"Really? You're not lying are you?"

"I don't lie. I'm a good boy." I laugh.

Serena eyed me for a second and mouthed 'yeah right.' causing me to chuckle.

"Well?" Edgar asked.

Having lost track of the conversation I replied. "Well, what?"

"Don't keep me in suspense, you ask her out? Or just go right to bed with her?" He laughed. I could hear Nick saying something inaudible in the background.

"The first." I answer, trying to be coy, not wanting Serena to know I was talking about her.

"You got her number? Ask her to meet you at the bar, I want to meet her!"

"I don't think so."

"Aww..why the hell not?" He asked, seemingly disappointed, his words becoming more slurred with every passing minute. "I'll be nice.. I plomise."

"You plomise?" I asked with a laugh. Edgar may have been guarded and strong when he was sober but, drunk Edgar was a completely different man.

"Promise, you know what I meant."

"Uh huh."

"look at it this way, but the time you guys get here I won't remember anything tomorrow anyway."

"Sorry man, I think I'm gonna stay home tonight."

"oh okay.." he trailed off with disappointment in his voice trying to gather his thoughts. "Is she there now?" he asked, causing my jaw to drop a little. Could he already know about my new houseguest or was it just a drunken question?

"I'd rather not say."

"OHHHHHHH….she is there!!" he yelled in my ear, causing me to pull the phone away and squint my eyes.

"I'm going to let you go, call me when you sober up."

"Alrighty, I'll call…you later." he said finally, the background noise now louder as the live band began to play.

"Bye." I say, closing the phone with a sigh. Serena gave me an odd look. "My younger brother." I explain.

"ah, I see." she nodded. Silence filled the gap between us again, "You can go if you want."

"No, I don't feel like it." I say, downing the last of the beer in the bottle. "It's been a long day."

"Yeah, no shit." she replied, standing from the couch. Surprise filled my eyes when she automatically took the empty bottle from my hand and went to fetch me another from the kitchen. I had to admit it sure was nice having someone around my home again, even an almost complete stranger. Serena handed me another bottle with a wide grin.

"thanks." I say, taking a sip. "I got to say, its nice having someone around again."

"Why? Were you lonely?" she laughed

"A little."

She chucked, making me smile. "Well, I'm so used to being around people on the boat and when I was married I had the wife and the kids. But after the divorce and I moved into my own place I'd be happy for a day or two but anything after that was a lonely hell." I admit with a shrug.

"I can understand that. I guess I'm lucky, I never had that problem. After awhile you get used to being alone." She said, lighting a cigarette.

For a Friday night there just wasn't anything good on TV. I tossed the remote to Serena deciding to let her pick something. When she ended up flipping through channels just as I had I silently cursed the TV company for not playing any good shows. My attention was diverted to the front door when I heard it open. Knowing Edgar and Norman were the only two people with a key. "Shit." I muttered, standing from my chair I made my way to the foyer leaving a confused Serena in my wake. Edgar, Nick, and Jake stood in the foyer with goofy grins on their face. My guess was they each had a good buzz going.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked nervously through gritted teeth, placing a hand on the doorframe trying to block their entrance to the living room.

"We didn't want to leave you all by your lonesome!" A cheesy grin crossing Edgars face as he involuntarily swayed back and forth. "We were only thinking of you bro." He grinned evilly pushing my arm away from the doorway we entered the living room. Serena stood from the couch with a confused stare.

"Hi, I'm Edgar. Sig's bro." Edgar introduced himself to a confused Serena.

"Serena." Serena nodded, taking his shaky hand in a handshake.

"Come lets play a drinking game!" Edgar announced loudly to the room, placing his arm around Serena's shoulder he lead her toward the kitchen.

"Who's the babe?" Jake asked, pointing at Serena's back as the three of us watched them walk away.

"A friend."

"Lucky you." he smiled, wiggling his eyebrows.

When Nick noticed a single suitcase sitting beside the sofa on the floor he looked to me with a stunned smile. "Is she staying here?"

"For a few days."

"Had I known you had that kind of "Company" I wouldn't of let Edgar talk me into coming over here tonight." He said with a suggestive smile, wiggling his eyebrows and nudging my side with his elbow.

"It's not like that." I say, rolling my eyes.

A few seconds had passed and I was no longer comfortable with where the conversation was leading or leaving Serena alone with drunk Edgar. He had stolen a few girlfriends while drunk. Something he would never do while sober. Edgar seemed to forget everything, even his wife when he was drunk. I was always able to keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble. Nick, Jake, and I entered the kitchen. Serena was sitting beside Edgar at the large eat-in kitchen table which was there for breakfast. A deck of cards and five shot glasses sat in the middle of the table.

"Put on some tunes!" Edgar said, taking the deck of cards he began to shuffle them. "What shall we play?" Nick asked, eyeing the bottles of liquor they had chosen for the shots.

They all looked to Serena who shrugged. "I don't give a damn what we play."

"As long as we all get drunk, all that matters." Jake laughed, finishing the sentence for her.

After turning the television off and turning the stereo on I sat beside Serena. Edgar began to deal the cards.

"What are we playing?" I asked, never hearing an actual game mentioned.

"Bullshit." Edgar announced.

"What kind of shot do you want?" I asked Serena, watching as she picked up her cards one by one as they were dealt. "Surprise me."

"Adventurous, my kind of woman!" Edgar laughed, popping a cigarette between his lips he searched through his pockets for a lighter. Serena picked up her lighter from the table and handed it to him. I picked up the bottle of beer that sat beside my shot of Wild Turkey bourbon, taking a long drink. Serena looked around the table, noticing there were no ashtrays to be seen she quietly excused herself and left to retrieve an ashtray from the living room.

Edgar leaned over the table, obviously trying to whisper but, in his buzzed to drunken state it came out in his normal tone. "Man, you didn't tell me she is so hot?"

"I didn't think you'd be interested." I say, looking at the cards I had been dealt.

"Sometimes, I don't think you know me at all." he said, shaking his head.

Serena returned with two ashtrays placing one on each side of the round table. "Anyone want anything else before I sit down again?" she asked.

"No." we said in unison, shaking our heads.

She sat down beside me, I waited a few moments to add. "Can you get me another beer?"

She turned and glared at me. "I'm kidding." I smirked, causing her to smile.

"Alright lets get this game going!" Nick said. "Who goes first?"

We looked to each other for a few moments, contemplating who dealt and whatnot. "Serena's turn." I say, finally having figured it out. I had only had about three beers but, I felt a good buzz coming on. It came from not drinking very often. I was no lightweight but, it didn't take too much to get me drunk either. We watched intently as she set down two cards. "Two Aces." she announced, holding her cards close to her chest. Not having known her very long I was unable to catch her in a lie.

"Three Twos." I announce, setting the two cards face down in the middle of the table.

"Serena where are you from?" Jake asked curiously as the game continued.

"A small town in Minnesota."

"Minnesota? What the hell are you doing in Seattle?" Nick asked, chugging the last of his beer, when he was finished he shook it to see if it was empty.

"It's a long boring story." She said, taking a long drink from the bottle of beer.

"We have time." Jake smiled. All eyes had turned to her as we waited for at least part of the story.

"Well, back in Minnesota I did a number of odd jobs then I married this guy for awhile. When I divorced him he turned into a crazy stalker so, with nothing left for me in Minnesota I decided to leave and build a new life somewhere else." She explained, I could see the hurt in her eyes in mere seconds it had disappeared.

"That sucks." Edgar said, setting down his cards. " Three, fives." Edgar announced.

"Bull shit." Serena said, looking confidently to Edgar.

"Bullshit huh?" he laughed, smiling widely. "Go ahead and see for yourself, I don't lie."

She reached over slowly to the pile of cards in the middle of the table. Eyeing Edgar as she turned over the three cards. She picked up the corner, peering at the number on the cards, when her face turned beet red and she muttered. "Damn it!" I knew she had lost and had to take the first shots of the night.

"So, how did you guys meet?" Nick asked, looking from Serena to me with interest.

I looked to Serena, wondering if I should tell the truth or lie. Even though Edgar had known part of the story already, I figured he was now too drunk to notice if I told a lie.

"My truck broke down on the road." Serena began. I was slightly shocked that she had decided to tell the truth. I couldn't put my finger on why I didn't want them to know the truth of how we met. I guess it just seemed too odd that I saw her broken down on the side of the road and decided to bring her home with me. She told them the story of use meeting on the road, of course leaving out the part about her nearly being raped by the first tow truck driver. I too felt that was a detail better left unsaid.

"How long are you going to be in town for?" Edgar asked, taking two shots as mandated by the rules of the game.

"Until I fix my truck."

"You can fix trucks?!" Nick asked, his mouth slightly ajar.

She nodded. "Why are men always so fucking surprised when I say I can fix trucks?" she asked, looking up to Nick. I couldn't help but smirk at her calling him out. I'm sure she had to put up with a lot of shit from the men mechanics who thought women had no mechanical abilities.

"You don't see ….I don't…I just…" he stammered, taking a long drink from his beer bottle to avoid answering the question. "You don't see women fixing stuff…"

"Yeah, keep going, I'm sure your foot can go further into your mouth." Edgar joked, patting Nick on the back. Causing the rest of us to laugh as well.

We played Bullshit for another few hours, music playing loudly in the background. I enjoyed just kicking back with the guys, telling jokes and talking about old times and the future on the boat. It had been awhile since I could kick back, relax, and just enjoy myself. The last year or so hadn't been easy. Neither had the last Opilio crab season. We had been hit with several bad storms and grinding on low numbers of crab. When we got bored of bullshit and admittedly too drunk to keep up with the game we went for an easier solution, playing crazy eights was much easier on my inebriated brain.

"I haven't been this drunk in awhile." Serena laughed, singing with the song playing in the background. Excusing herself to go to the bathroom she swayed her hips to the music until she was out of sight.

"I like her, she is awesome." Edgar complemented with a smile.

"You're one lucky guy to find her on the road. I wish that would happen to me." Jake said, drinking his fourth beer since he arrived. I wasn't sure how many drinks they had at the bar and I began to wonder just how much they each drank tonight.

"She's hot too." Jake smirked, swaying from side to side in his chair. Becoming off balance he fell directly off of his chair causing all of us to laugh uncontrollably. His arms found the table first, trying to pull himself up he failed and fell back onto the floor. Unable to help because I was laughing so hard, he finally was able to get up on his own.

"So, are you and Serena a thing?" Jake asked suddenly, taking his seat again.

"Well, not really." I say, taking a drag from my cigarette.

"Would you mind if I asked her out?" Jake asked seriously.

I looked over to him, my mind processing his question. Lucky for me Nick and Edgar were both married, the thought of cheating on their wives would never cross their minds. But, with Jake being unmarried I was slightly worried that I would have to compete with him for her. I didn't want him to ask her out I wanted to keep her to myself. But, how stupid would we look together? There were so many things wrong with my wanting her. She is nearly a decade younger than I am. I felt like a complete jerk. When she returned into the room Jake put his index finger to his lips silently telling me to keep quiet. I hoped if he did ask her out she would say no. Around three a.m. we all began to slow down. The music went from being loud and full of good beats to sad slow country songs. Edgar had already passed out on the couch in the living room, Jake was the next to pass out on the floor in front of the television. Leaving Serena, Nick, and myself in the kitchen playing crazy eights. I took another shot, the brown liquor flowing down my throat, warming everything it touched. I lit another cigarette, the ashtray now overflowing with cigarette butts.

"I'm going to hit the floor, night guys." Nick said drunkenly stammering. He stood from the kitchen chair, unbalanced he was swaying back and forth. He ran into the wall between the kitchen and living room causing Serena and I to begin to laugh. Nick finally disappeared into the dark living room when we heard Jake yell. "Oww, damn it you kicked me!"

I chucked when Nick replied. "Too damn bad, you shouldn't be on the floor."

When things quieted down in the living room I looked to Serena. She was picking up the random cards from the table, putting them back into a stack in her right hand.

"I'm so sorry about tonight." I apologized, feeling slightly bad about having wrecked our quiet evening together.

"It's okay. I actually had a really good time." she smiled sweetly, her blue eyes seemingly staring into my very soul. I wasn't sure if it was the abundance of alcohol in my system or my natural male urges, but, I wanted her.. Bad. I knew it was way to soon to reveal such a thing and I hoped I could make it to bed and pass out before I had the chance to proposition her to stay with me in my bedroom.

"I think its time we go to bed." I said quickly, standing from the table. Being drunk and having a mind in the gutter was a very bad mix. "I mean, go to bed, separately." I say putting my two index fingers together and then splitting them apart.

"Where's the fun in that?" She smirked with a raised brow, her dark blue eyes looking at me through her dark long eyelashes as she stood in front of me. My drunken mind unsure if she was teasing me I had to try and rationalize what she said, it wasn't easy. As much as I wanted her I had to admit I was too drunk to do anything about it. My mind silently cursed Edgar for giving me so much alcohol.

"Goodnight." Serena finally said, kissing my right cheek. "Thank you again." Her voice hushed as she slowly made her way up the stairway toward her bedroom. I stood for a few minutes, slightly shocked my hand firmly placed on my cheek where I had been kissed. Smiling to myself I finally was able to make my way to my room where I crashed onto the bed and fell into a deep slumber.


	4. Revelations

Here is a short little chapter for you all today. i know its been forever since i updated and i promise to work on this one more while doing my other ones :). as always R&R.

Chapter 4

"Revelations"

Staring into the black abyss of my coffee cup I sighed, thinking of the night before and the woman that was still sleeping upstairs. A hangover pounding in my head a ounding I haven't felt in awhile. A list of chores looming over my head. I knew they had to get done but, I was in no mood to do them.

"Good morning, sunshine." Edgar smiled walking down the stairway into the kitchen, how he never suffered a hangover even with the amount he drank last night I couldn't comprehend. He rummaged loudly though the cupboard looking for a mug to pour his coffee into.

"Morning." I replied gruffly, taking a sip of the hot coffee.

He sat across from me across the table, picking up the pack of Marlboros I had left on the table. We each took one, lighting it with the lighter.

"Where's your friend?" Edgar asked.

"Still sleeping I imagine." I tell him, breathing in the soothing smoke.

"Is this a mid life crisis?" He asked suddenly.

I shook my head, confused.

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" he asked, taking a drag from the cigarette.

"What do you mean?"

"For one she is nearly a decade younger than you, part of me says way to go but the other is worried. Seems to me you know nothing about her. Who knows where she came from or her intentions. She could be a deadly assassin for all we know."

"I know what I'm doing." I told him, tapping my cigarette, the ash falling into the ashtray. It was a lie, I knew that much. I had no clue what I was doing or what I was getting myself into.

"No you don't." He laughed suddenly shaking his head.

"Well, I want to see where it leads. Sure she is a beautiful girl but, that's all she is." I reassure him. "She is just a guest, that needs help getting back on her feet."

"You know I don't usually interfere in your business but, this time I just can't sit back and let you potentially ruin everything you and I have worked so hard for."

"I get that your worried, I appreciate that. It's only been one night, give it time if you still feel that way in a few weeks we will discuss it. Right now, there's really nothing to discuss." I shrug off his worries, typical little brother worried that I'm being an idiot and making mistakes. When we heard the lawn mower in the garage start we looked to each other, confused. Both of us stood making our way to the front window, careful not to kick Jake who was still asleep on the floor. Pushing away the heavy curtains I squinted my eyes against the beating sunlight. After a few moments I spotted Serena on the riding lawnmower, she had begun to cut the lawn something I had been meaning to do since I returned. Her long dark brown hair tied in a pony tail floating behind her, she looked like an unearthly goddess.

"Is that the work of a deadly assassin?" I joked, impressed that she had taken the initiative to cut the lawn instead of waiting for me to ask. She'd do good on my boat I decided, the guys always waited for an order before they did something. Sipping my coffee we watched her work.

"Could be." Edgar shrugged.

I turned around when I heard Jake stir on the floor.

"What are you guys doing?" he grumbled, rubbing his eyes against the sunlight shining through the window.

"Apparently we are watching an assassin mow the lawn." I joked, looking over to Edgar who was not impressed.

"Tell her to stop its making my head hurt." he complained, his hands grabbing his head.

"Suck it up, you own fault you drank so much." I shrugged, sitting on the sofa to see what was on TV.

Edgar stared a bit longer, finally turning around to smirk at the pain on Jake's face. Edgar moved to step over Jake to get to the sofa but stepped short and kicked Jake right in the stomach. I'm guessing pretty hard by the way Jake groaned and then called him an asshole. I tried my hardest not to laugh but I couldn't help it.

"I'm just sayin, maybe we should at least do a background check on her make sure she is who she says she is." Edgar continues, sitting on the sofa which sat against the wall to the right of the couch.

"Give it a rest, would ya? Besides, we would need her social security number for a background check, if you can get that then be my guest." I say, doubting he'd be able to even get the first few numbers of it.

"Maybe I will."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I haven't quite figured that part out yet."

Suddenly Jake sprung up from the floor, grabbing his pillow and blanket with a huff.

"Where are you going, junior?" I ask, flipping through random channels.

"Somewhere where its quiet." He stomped off angrily toward the entry way.

Edgar stood suddenly like he had been bitten on the ass.

"What's wrong with you?" I questioned with confusion.

"I'm going to get started on operation snitch." Edgar said, his head held high as he headed toward the entry way and the stairway.

"What the hell do you mean? Operation snitch?"

He stopped suddenly causing me to run into his back.

"We need to find out everything about that girl, she's busy right now. It's the perfect time to do it."

"No, we are not snooping on her." I refused, trying to grab his arm to stop him but he took off before I could. "Get back here!" I yelled, chasing him into Serena's room. We stopped just inside her room. Edgar grabbed for the nearest suitcase.

"Edgar, NO. Stop right now." I demanded.

He shook his head at me. "You can be such a god damn pussy sometimes."

"I am not." I couldn't allow him to go through her things and invade her privacy. "Damn it Edgar!"

"You can't tell me you aren't the least bit curious about her." He said, giving me an unbelieving look.

"Just because I'm curious doesn't mean I'm going to go rummaging through her things." I told him. I must admit I slightly admired him. For once he had the balls to do something I couldn't bring myself to do.

Shaking his head at me he tossed the suitcase onto the bed easily.

"I won't be a part of this." I said, shaking my head I turned away from him closing my eyes and crossing my arms over my chest like an angry child.

I heard him chuckle behind me as he unzipped it pulling the top open.

"Hmmm…. Interesting." he muttered from behind me.

Ignoring him I continued to stare at the open door, hoping no one would find us basically trespassing.

"Oh wow." Edgar said.

Curiosity began to nag at me, what was he seeing? What did she have in her suitcases? No, I wouldn't be a part of this. I was the lookout only making sure Edgar wasn't caught. At least that's what I kept telling myself.

"Man, that's so awesome!" Edgar exclaimed.

It was enough for me to turn around and investigate. Looking at the suitcase all I saw were some folded up jeans and sweaters.

"What's so awesome?" I asked confused.

"Nothing, I was just wondering if I could make you turn around." He laughed with smirked.

"Asshole" I muttered, shaking my head at him.

Closing the suitcase he zipped it up, returning it to where he found it. Next he walked toward the dresser. Opening the bottom drawer he continued his search.

"Now what are you looking for?" I asked, wondering if I should stop him now or let him continue the search.

"I dunno." He shrugged, moving things in the drawer.

"Then why keep looking?"

"I'd never forgive myself if she had something up here she wasn't supposed to and I didn't find it."

The lawnmower outside stopped, so did we. Looking at each other we both flew to the window. Serena was no where in sight. Seconds later we heard a stair on the staircase creak.

"Shit." We both muttered, looking at the top of the staircase. Seconds later we heard her humming as she made her way up the stairs. I quickly ran over to the closet reaching for the door. No damn way I was going to be caught going through her things. Edgar tried to push me out of the way and get into the small closet first. Pushing him back he fell into the dresser. While he was trying to grab her small perfume bottles so they wouldn't smash onto the floor I made my way into the closet and shut the door. There may have been enough room for both of us in the closet but I wasn't in the mood to share. The closet door began to open, I quickly grabbed the handle holding the door closed.

"Damn it, let me in!" Edgar whispered.

"No! my hiding place I hope you get caught!"

I heard him curse. When he let go of the door the door slammed shut from me holding onto the knob. My eyes darted from left to right hoping she hadn't heard it. It now occurred to me how much easier it would have been for me just to run out of the room or to stop her at the top of the stairs pretending I was just passing through. Too bad I hadn't thought of that sooner. Pressing my ear to the door I listened for movement in the room.

"Oh hey, Serena. What's up?" I heard Edgars voice though the door.

"Nothing much." She replied. "What are you doing in here?"

"Oh, I was just…" He trailed off, trying to think of an answer. "Looking for Sig. Have you seen him?"

"Um, no I haven't. But, then again I've been outside."

"Oh right, you're cutting the lawn."

"Yeah…so.." She trailed off. "If you don't mind, I need to change my clothes."

"Oh right, sorry." He apologized. I heard the door close, I could hear various things being moved and I prayed to god she didn't need anything in the closet. I could hear her humming a tune. Seconds later there was a knock on her bedroom door. The door opened with a creak.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Hey, I'm sorry but, I need your help in the kitchen. Can you help me quick?" I heard Edgar ask. I was surprised he didn't just leave me stranded in the closet.

"Um, sure."

I waited a few seconds before opening the door. Peering around the corner carefully I was relieved to find I was alone. Slowly I made my way out of her room and made a promise to myself I wouldn't do anything like that again.


	5. Absolutely Crazy

and heres the next chapter. i kno it took awhile i was trying to figure out the course of events i think it worked out quite nice.

Chapter 5

"Absolutely Crazy"

After a few hours and a coffee pot later Edgar and the rest of my crew finally left. I loved them to death but, they were annoying me at the moment. I was still upset with Edgar and I would surely have to find a way to get him back. Sitting in my easy chair with a groan I settled in. A cigarette in one hand, a beer in the other, and the remote somewhere in between, life was perfect. I say was because not long after that everything spiraled out of control and still hasn't settled down. It occurred to me Serena was in the middle of it and maybe the cause of some of the events. Not that everything in my life was so perfect, but, it certainly wasn't insane. Anyway back to my story, where was I? Oh, yes. I was sitting in my easy chair. Serena approached me.

"I'm going to go grocery shopping, is there anything special you want?" She asked, standing in front of me wearing a white tank top, dark blue jean shorts, and white platform sandals. A gold bracelet wrapped around her ankle.

"I'd like to go with you." I said, standing from the easy chair.

"Fine with me." she shrugged.

Turning off the TV I chugged down the last of my beer, not wanting to leave it to get piss ass warm and disgusting. Following her to the entry way I picked up my wallet and keys.

The 20 minute drive into town wasn't very eventful. Parking the truck we made our way into the grocery store. Grabbing a cart Serna threw her purse in the child seat. We began walking down the aisles picking up random things and throwing them into the cart.

"Did it ever occur to you that you shop like your parents are out of town for the weekend?" Serena asked, eyeing the bags of miniature snickers, miniature butter fingers, potato chips, and cookies.

I laughed. "I don't do healthy."

"I see that. Oh we need some green peppers for stuffed peppers. Do you like those?"

"Sure. I'll go get some."

"Okay, I'l be right there." She said, selecting packets of hamburger and some steaks. Walking into the produce department I looked for the green peppers. Spotting the display I walked over to it. There were only three left and while I was grabbing the bag some guy came and took the last three. Cursing lightly I threw the bag to the side.

"Where's the peppers?" Serena asked wheeling the cart beside me.

"That guy just took the last three." I said, pointing to him.

"Damn, I really wanted those I haven't been able to cook much lately it would have been a nice treat."

"Well, we can go to the other store." My suggestion fell on deaf ears as she walked over to the man that took the last three. He had abandoned his full cart to go and grab something else. I watched curiously as Serena casually strolled up to the cart, looked around aimlessly for a few seconds. Casually she reached into the cart, taking the bag of green peppers. Hurrying back over to me with a grin she placed the bag into the cart.

"Come on." she said, pushing the cart toward the bakery department.

"You shouldn't of done that, what if he needed those?"

"Oh, he won't notice."

Seconds later we heard the man cuss loudly. "Where'd my peppers go?"

"Walk faster." She whispered to me, grabbing my wrist.

Stopping in the deli department she began ordering sliced ham and turkey for sandwiches. I didn't notice the man she stole the peppers from approach us. "Hey! Did you take my peppers?" The man asked, pointing to us.

"I don't know what your talking about." Serena denied the accusation with a shrug.

"I think you did, you were the only one by my cart. Give my peppers back!" He yelled.

"I don't have your peppers, sir."

"I know you do!" he yelled, eyeing our cart.

"Hey buddy, calm down. There's no need to be yelling." I said, holding my hands up.

"I want my fucking peppers! Tell your bitch to give them back!" the man yelled, his face turning beat red. His black hair covered some of his forehead but it didn't cover the vein in his forehead that looked like it was going to pop. I couldn't believe someone could get so upset over peppers.

"I know you fucking took them! Give them back." he yelled, approaching Serena. I quickly stepped in the middle of them, not wanting her to get hurt.

"Do you see them in the cart?" She asked.

His eyes searched the cart, mine did to. I was surprised when I didn't see them but, I kept the surprise from my face.

"Well, no." He sighed, running his fingers through his thinning hair.

"Then I didn't take them." She reasoned with him, staring dead into his eyes.

He searched the cart for a few seconds "I am so sorry. I really thought you took them, I shouldn't of yelled like that." he apologized.

"It's okay." she smiled, taking the meat from the deli worker. We slowly walked away.

"Holy shit." I commented. "What did you do with them?"

She smiled widely. "With what?"

"You know what."

"Oh, these?" She asked, rummaging through the cart she pointed at the bag of peppers which were under many things.

I shook my head at her.

"Can you believe you almost got your ass kicked over peppers?" she laughed continuing to smile.

"he wouldn't of kicked my ass."

"I don't know, he was pretty pissed."

Wheeling the cart to the check out we paid for the groceries and made our way home. We barely got everything in the door and put away when the doorbell rang. I slowly made my way toward the front door, stopping to peer out the peephole.

"Oh shit." I muttered, staring out the peephole. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing. The doorbell rang again, I ignored it.

"Are you going to get that?" Serena asked, rubbing her hands dry with a towel.

"No." I shook my head.

"Why not? Who is it?"

"This crazy bitch, she's an obsessed fan. She shows up every damn time I get off for a season, I was hoping this time she finally had gotten it through her head that I don't want anything to do with her."

"Apparently she didn't get the memo. Go in the kitchen, I'll take care of her."

"No, she's crazy I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll be just fine. She's what 4 foot 5? I'm sure I can take her." She laughed. "Now go."

"No, just ignore her she'll go away eventually."

Opening the closet door Serena shoved me inside before I could even stop her. I heard the front door open on the other side of the door.

"Fuck." I muttered, rubbing my arm where she hit me to get me into the closet."43 fucking years old and I'm standing in a closet for the second time today.. unfucking believable." I whispered, shaking my head I scrubbed my hand over my face.

"Can I help you?" I heard Serena's lovely voice.

"Umm.. I'm looking for Sig Hansen." The woman I dubbed crazy bitch said.

"Who?" Serena asked mocking her lightly.

"My boyfriend Sig Hansen." She repeated, her brown eyes darting around the entryway.

"I'm sorry but, I don't know who you are referring to. My boyfriend and I just bought this home a month ago."

Her brown eyes stared Serena down.

"That's his truck in the driveway."

"The truck came with the house. The man who lived here before said something about a crazy bitch bugging him." Serena kept the smirk from her face. "So he split."

"That's his furniture."

"you've been in his house?"

"Well, not with him around." a lopsided grin covering her face.

'tomorrow I'm getting a security system.' I told myself.

"Can I look around?"

"No, I don't feel comfortable with you doing that."

"This is his house, I think you're lying to me. And I HATE it when people lie to me."

"I'm not lying. Now please leave, the man you are looking for is no longer here."

There was a few second long silence. I heard the front door close, wondering what was happening my hand found its way to the doorknob. The door opened from the other side. Serena stood looking at me. "She's gone."

I stepped out of the closet, I was short stopped when she put her hand on my chest to stop me. "Stay there." She said, going into the living room I watched her close the curtains. "Just incase."

She motioned for me to enter the living room, being sure all curtains were down.

"what the hell did you do to her?" She asked.

"I didn't do anything. She was sending me letters and such, then last year when I was off between king crab and Opilio she just showed up, claiming she was my girlfriend and I had somehow done her wrong."

"So, let me get this straight, you've never actually had a relationship with her?"

"No." I shook my head to further prove a point. Lighting a cigarette I sighed deep in thought. Wondering if I had led her on in some way.

"Did you get a restraining order?"

"No. I really didn't think it was that serious."

"Well, now it is."

"Do you think she is still out there?"

"Possibly, which is why you need to stay out of sight. Don't go by the windows or outside. I'm sure in a few hours she'll realize you aren't here and leave."

"A few hours?"

"Yeah, its not like you were planning to go out or anything." she chuckled with a smirk.

Sitting in the easy chair I sighed. Feeling like a prisoner in my own home. I could only hope the crazy bitch left and wouldn't be returning.

"Maybe we should have the police check it out just in case." She said, pulling back the curtain enough to look outside.

"Yeah, that might be a good idea." I agreed.

Serena took the cell phone from my hand. Talking to the police dispatcher, telling them what happened. Serena had disappeared a few seconds ago. Returning to the living room with the handgun I had seen her with the night before.

"Where are you going?" I asked, eyeing the handgun in her right hand.

"To look around outside." She smiled.

"I think you should stay here until the police arrive."

"I'll be fine." her lips curving into a reassuring smile. "After all, I'm the one with a gun."

"How do you know she doesn't have one?"

"I guess I'll find out."

Before I could stop her she walked out the door. Worried about her I walked toward the window, contemplating if I should look out. I waited a few minutes. A sigh of relief passing through my lips when Serena returned unscathed.

"I don't see her. She may have left already."

"Well, the police are on the way."

The police arrived twenty minutes later, taking both of our statements. But, with her gone there was nothing they could do. They told me to get a restraining order. Shrugging off the comment they left a few minutes later.

"Thanks a lot." I said to the officer.

"No problem. Call us if she comes back."

"Yeah."

"Do you really thing she'll come back?" Serena asked a look of worry on her face.

"She usually pops up then leaves. I'm sure its nothing to worry about." I tell her.

"Well, I'm going to keep this around just in case." She said, motioning to her gun.

After everything had settled it was nice to sit back with a beer. An hour later after eating dinner we settled in for a night of watching TV. The sun was getting ready to set in the western sky. When the doorbell rang we both looked at each other.

"What now?" I grumbled, standing from the plush leather chair.

"Stay there." Serena said, rushing to the door. She peered out of the peephole.

"It's not her, its someone else."

"Who?"

"I don't know, I'm new here remember?"

She opened the door slowly. Peering around the corner I realized the woman on the other side of the door was June, my ex-wife. What the hell was she doing here? Not really wanting to talk to her I pondered running and hiding.

"Can I help you?" Serena asked.

"Is Sig here?" June asked with confusion. Her eyes scanning the younger woman.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Sig you here?" She yelled out causing me to laugh.

"June? What are you doing here?" I asked as she stepped into the entryway. Serena looked outside before shutting the door.

"Sig, I…" June stammered, looking at Serena. "I need to talk to you, just for a second. you've been ignoring my calls."

"Did you ever stop to think it was because I didn't want to talk to you?" I asked coldly, crossing my arms across my chest.

"It'll be easier to pretend I'm not here, If I'm really not here." Serena uncomfortably shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she looked around. "Bye."

I watched Serena exit the room, my eyes rummaging over the back of her body for a few long seconds. June cleared her throat. Turning my attention back to her I gave her a cold stare. Truthfully I was still upset over the divorce and everything that happened between us. As much as I loved her as I will always love the mother of my children I also despised her. Had she left me alone and wasn't so jealous we'd probably still be together.

"Is that your new girlfriend?" June asked curiously.

"Maybe, maybe not." I said with a nonchalant shrug. "What do you want?"

"I need money Sig, the girls need clothes and shoes."

"Oh of course you need money! that's the only time you show up these days." I say, pulling out my wallet. "How much this time?"

"As much as you can give?"

"god damn it June just give me a number for once in your life. And I better not find out you are using this money to fund anything for your new boyfriend."

"who told you I had a new boyfriend?"

"Oh no, I'm not going to tattle on my girls."

Grabbing my checkbook I wrote her out a check. Angrily handing it to her.

"I didn't come here to fight."

"Just go." I tell her opening the front door. "How many times must I apologize for what happened? It's not like I cheated on you or something."

"No you did something worse. You accused me of cheating at every turn and then you pushed me away until I was against the wall. Then you tried to take my attention away from the kids. How you could be jealous of your own children is beyond me."

"It wasn't like that."

"Just go."

"there is just no talking to you."

"No, there isn't." I watched her leave, closing the door behind her.

"Bitch." I muttered.

"Everything okay?" Serena asked.

"Yeah, fine."

There was a knock at the door. "What now?" I muttered, reaching for the knob thinking it was June.

"No." Serena stopped me. Looking through the peephole she took in a sharp breath. "The bitch is back."

"Which one?" I joked with a laugh.

"The crazy one." She said her eyes wide with fear. "Go hide."

"I'm not hiding."

"Do you want me to shove you in the closet again? Cause I will."

Not wanting to be in the closet again I made my way upstairs stopping around the corner so I couldn't be seen. Taking in a deep breath Serena opened the door.

"What do you want? I've called the police."

"Where is he?" She asked.

"who?"

"I just saw his ex-wife leave, now where is he?"

"He's not here, why do you think she left so fast?" Serena told her.

"I'm not leaving until I am absolutely positive he is not here." She stomped her feet on the ground.

"I don't know what to tell you. Now leave before I call the police."

"You won't be calling anyone."

I heard a metal sounding noise from the entryway. I couldn't quite place what it was and I couldn't see what was going on.

"Put the gun away and leave." Serena gasped.

"Where is he? I need to see him!"

"He's not here." Serena told her again.

I wanted to save her but, I waited seeing if she could defuse the situation first.

"You want to look? Alright go look!" Serena gave in.

'Don't let that crazy bitch walk around!' I thought to myself.

"Alright, come on." the crazy bitch said, her gun still pointed at Serena.

I waited a few seconds before slowly making my way downstairs. I couldn't see Serena or the crazy bitch but, I could hear them. I stared at the entry way for a few long moments, wondering if I should leave and get help. No I couldn't leave Serena crouching down I carefully made my way into the living room. Grabbing my cell phone off the end table I put it into my pocket. Making my way into the dining room I peered around the corner spotting Serena in the kitchen. I don't know how she knew I was there but, she looked right at me. The fear in her eyes cascading to her limbs which were visibly shaking.

"Go get help." she mouthed when the crazy bitch turned away from her.

Shaking my head no I mouthed. "I'm not leaving you. Are you okay?"

She nodded in response, gasping when the gun was pointed at her again. I realized it was a colt 45 a gun that was very deadly.

'Go get my gun.' She mouthed.

'where is it?' my lips asked.

She pointed upstairs to her bedroom now wrapped up in a strange game of charades she charaded the dresser beneath her clothes.

Nodding I made my way quickly up the stairs and into her bedroom. There were two dressers the gun could be in. Going to the closest one I opened the bottom drawer, in a panic I began throwing out the clothes. "Fuck!" I muttered to myself. Maybe it was the middle drawer? I quickly ran my fingers over the bottom of the drawer. My fingers connecting with the cold steal I smiled to myself, my hands wrapped around the handle.

"She's gone." Serena sighed, leaning against the doorframe.

"Thank god."

"There you are baby!" the crazy bitch exclaimed. I froze not sure what to do. Should I pull the gun on her? If I do that we may end up in a shooting match. Releasing the handle of the gun I grimaced. "This bitch told me you weren't here." She said, poking Serena with the gun in the ribs.

"Fuck, don't do that!" Serena said, rubbing her ribs on the left side.

"shut up!" crazy bitch yelled.

"Ummm.. what is your name again?" I asked with confusion. I had always just called her the crazy bitch and never thought to learn her name until now.

"It's Sheryl, baby." She smiled, stepping closer to me. She stood at 4 foot 5 and was a little over weight. But, her face was still pretty. Her color treated blonde hair flowing behind her. I realized she had the same haircut as June which crept me out more than words can say. The pistol still fixed on Serena. She ran her fingers over my face, I turned away with a grimace. "I really think you should leave."

"No, you have ignored me for way to long! Both of you get downstairs!" she yelled causing me to jump.

Not wanting to upset her any further we both complied, making our way downstairs and into the living room. Pulling out a walkie-talkie she spoke into it. "He's here, come in."

Serena and I both looked to each other with confusion. What was happening and how could we stop it? The sun was low in the western sky ready to disappear at any second. I began to wonder if I would see the sunlight again. Serena and I were ushered to the sofa where we both sat beside each other. Worry and fear blatant on our faces waiting to find out what would happen next.

dun dun dun, okay a cliffy i know and i'm sorry. the next one will be up soon so don't worry you wont be waiting to long :o)


	6. Captive

Here's the next one. i know it took forever to update, i been having problems with my internet but,its al fixed now :o) thank you to IrishCaptain and northwesternSig for the reviews. As always don't forget to R&R.

Disclaimer: i don't own Sig or Deadliest catch, but, if i ever get rich i plan to!

Chapter 6

"Captive"

Sitting nervously on the sofa we waited on her accomplice to arrive. Sheryl was pacing back and forth in front of the coffee table like a caged lioness making Serena and I uncomfortable. I could see Serena's anger bubbling up along with my own. I couldn't believe this could be happening to me. It felt surreal, like I was living someone else's life or a character in a movie. I looked to Serena knowing I would have to try and keep her calm which was going to be difficult while I was full of a few different emotions.

"I thought you said she left." I whispered.

"She did." Serena whispered back, fear in her clear blue eyes.

"How did she get in here?"

"I don't know, I locked the door."

Sheryl interrupted us. "Oh, I have these." she dug into the right pocket of her jeans smiling widely while she pulled a small key ring out. "I had these made."

"How the fuck did you get those?" I asked my fists clenching as I moved to stand but Serena pulled me back. I would never hit a woman, not even one that was holding me captive, but oh how I wanted to.

"Oh, its quite simple when you tell the locksmith your husband is away and you need to get into your house. The idiot didn't even question me." she smiled widely only causing my blood to boil more.

"How many times have you been in my house?" I asked, feeling violated in more ways than one.

"Oh, I've lost count. But, don't worry I didn't steal anything. I would never steal from the man I love."

"I am so sorry." Serena apologized softly, tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's not you fault." I reassured her, taking her hand. "Really, it's not you fault. Please don't cry."

"Hey! None of that!" Sheryl yelled, pointing the handgun at Serena. I noticed she hadn't once pointed the gun at me and maybe I could use that to my advantage.

I quickly dropped Serena's hand but, maintained eye contact with her. She wiped the tears away and pulled her focus back to Sheryl. There was a moment of silence while I contemplated killing her.

"Why the hell are you doing this?" Serena asked. It was a valid question. A question I wanted an answer to as well.

"Because….well…" She stammered trying to collect her thoughts. "I love him more than anything…all of the wonderful times we spent together… and you just ignore me like I don't exist, but I'm here to tell you I DO exist!" She stepped closer to us something in her eyes changing the moment her eyes laid on me.

"But, nothing happened." I told her with an exasperated sigh.

"Don't! don't say that!" she screamed so loudly I thought my eardrums had popped. Serena jumped towards me. I had a feeling if she wasn't afraid of getting shot she would have climbed right into my lap looking for protection. "Don't you fucking lie to me like that!" Sheryl continued to scream, running her fingers crazily over her blonde hair. The gun held so tightly in her hands her knuckles were white. She began to tug at her hair and thrash wildly about.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it." I said, holding up my hands while giving her an odd look. Serena and I exchanged 'holy shit' looks.

"Really you didn't?" Sheryl asked looking back to me. Her voice high like she had sucked the helium out of a balloon. Truthfully just the sound of her voice was getting on my last nerve which only infuriated me more. I couldn't believe someones voice could irritate me in this way.

"Uh, nope didn't mean it at all."

"I knew it!" she smiled, stepping toward me she moved to kiss my lips. I turned away almost in time for her to miss my lips and end up kissing my hair. A look of disgust covering my face.

"Are you by chance bi-polar?" Serena asked suddenly, I tried not to chuckle.

"Everything okay in here?" I heard a male voice. Serena and I both looked toward the doorway to find a man standing 6'2", his short black hair slicked back with so much gel there was no chance he could get lice his scalp was so slippery they would all fall off. I chuckled at the thought. Ignoring the glances from the other three people in the room I continued with my observation. His white skin was very tan, a scar extending from his eyebrow down the right side of his face to his chin. He was carrying what I guess to be an AK-47 with another handgun holstered at his side. He carried a large black duffle bag that looked weighed down in his hand.

"What took you so long?" Sheryl asked looking to her companion.

"I was checking out the perimeter. You know we can't leave them down here, too many escape routes." He explained looking over to her.

"I know. Take him and his skank to the attic, there's only one small window in there and we can easily blockade the door." She demanded.

"Stand up."

"No way, asshole." Serena said, crossing her arms across her chest. "You get us up there and you'll kill us for sure."

"No ones going to get killed, now get up." Sheryl's companion growled.

"I'm sorry but, no." Serena continued to refuse, Mark quickly grabbed her elbow, easily picking her up.

"Take your hands off of her!" I yelled, kicking him in the lower back. When he turned around to face me my fist met with his cheek. He growled angrily, standing to full height as he brushed away the blood on the corner of his mouth.

"Stop it, stop it stop it!" Sheryl shrieked. Firing two shots into the ceiling.

I kept the smile from my face knowing my neighbors certainly would of heard it, if they were home that is.

Mark grabbed Serena's elbow again ushering us toward the stairway. "What can we call you? Unless you want me to call you asshole all night." Serena smirked, I think secretly she loved egging them on.

"Get moving!" Sheryl demanded her gun pressing into my lower back.

"Just call me Mark."

"Is that your real name?" Serena asked, standing from the couch, I followed.

"None of your business, both of you get moving."

We were forced up the stairway to the second floor, both of our eyes looking helplessly toward her dresser as we passed her room. We made our way up the second flight and into the attic. They gathered two chairs for us to sit on. With no other option we took our seats and waited.

"Should we tie them up?" Mark asked

"Depends, are you two going to play nice?"

"Yes, very nice." we both nodded.

"Lets not take a chance, after all my baby is very smart." she smiled sadistically, trying to run her fingers over my face. I quickly turned away. "Find something to tie them up."

Mark looked around the attic almost aimlessly, he began to scratch his head with the 35 caliber handgun in his left hand, setting down the AK that was in his right.

"Oh that's smart, keeping doing that. I hope you blow your fucking head off." Serena rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head.

"Go get the rope out of the bag!" Sheryl yelled, it wasn't hard to see who was in charge of this operation. Mark nodded, leaving the attic "NOW!"

"I can see who wears the pants." Serena commented. Sheryl pushed her hard into the wooden chair sticking the barrel of the gun against her nose, grabbing her hair with her free hand she tilted Serena's head forward. "Keep talking bitch, I'll put another hole in your head." Sheryl growled her voice low and intimidating.

"You don't have the balls." Serena growled, kicking Sheryl in the shin. I watched Sheryl double over in pain, grabbing her left leg. I quickly ran for the AK Mark had left leaning against the table. He was already in the doorway and heading my way. I punched him hard in the face. I could hear Sheryl groaning from behind me.

"Enough!" Mark pulled his gun from its holster at his side pointing from me to Serena. We both put our hands up to surrender.

"Sit down!" Mark growled angrily, cocking back the hammer on his gun. We quickly sat on the only two hard wooden dining room chairs. I cursed myself for storing them up there. Mark tied up Serena first, Sheryl gained her composure finally stood.

"You are going to pay for that, bitch." Sheryl growled, her voice low and menacing her right hand came up flying down the open hand slap met with Serena's face. "I should just kill you!"

"No!" I yelled, trying to get out of my restraints. "Don't hurt her."

Sheryl looked to me. "Only for you." She smiled at me. "Come on."

"Will you at least bring us Cigarettes?" I yelled after them.

"And Vodka!" Serena added.

I heard the key in the attic door lock us in. I hated myself for not getting the lock on the attic door changed. The old lock only would lock and unlock from the outside.

"Are you okay?" I asked, scooting my chair across the attic to be closer to Serena. The musk from things that have sat in the attic filling my nose. A layer of dust resting on basically everything. There was only two lights in the attic. Her head was hanging down, her dark brown hair covering her face. Her arms around the back of the chair and her wrists were wrapped together with rope.

She finally looked up at me. "I'm okay."

I examined her in the dim light. "We have to get out of here." I told her. I could feel the rope digging into my wrists as I struggled to loosen them.

"How?"

"First we need to get loose, we can figure that out later."

"If that asshole Mark wouldn't of come up we would have been able to get out." She commented, looking around the room.

"I know." I nodded. "Hey, look at me."

She looked up struggling to keep her composure.

"It's going to be alright, I promise."

She nodded in response. Growling I continued to try and get myself loose.

"Fuck." We both uttered in unison.

"This isn't working." I sighed, trying to gain my composure. "Can you move your chair?"

"I think so. Why?" She asked, raising her brows.

"Maybe we can put ourselves back to back and one of us can untie the other." Luckily my chair had a low back so I could pick myself up from it. Serena's chair had a high back and there was no way she could get out of it. Carefully standing up, the chairs weight on her back she turned around. When we heard someone walking up the stairway we stopped and looked at each other. Setting her chair on the floor she looked casually whistling as she looked toward the door. I moved my chair closer to hers to make it look like we hadn't moved at all. When the door opened there was no relief. Sheryl and Mark walked in. Sheryl was carrying a tray with some items on it.

I noticed the red pack of Marlboros first. Grinning I looked eagerly toward the pack. Pulling out two cigarettes she put one between my lips, lighting it for me. Surprisingly she did the same for Serena.

"Can you at least let one of my hands free, please?" Serena asked looking up at Mark, her eyes pleading with him. "I hate getting smoke in my eyes from sitting with the cigarette in my mouth."

Without saying a word Sheryl disappeared down the stairway which I thought was rather odd but, for the time being I ignored it.

"I don't think so." Mark refused.

"Please, its not like I can do anything with only one hand." She said. "Besides you have the gun, if I make a wrong move shoot me." she added as an after thought.

Nodding Mark untied her left hand. He then did the same for me. I flexed my hands, rubbing my wrist against my leg.

"Thank you." Serena sighed, smiling up at him.

"Why are you helping her?" Serena asked leaning over to take the ashtray from Mark's extended hand.

"She is my friend." Mark said, sitting in the last empty chair.

"She must be a really good friend. I sure wouldn't kidnap anyone for just a casual friend. How long have you known her?"

"Around a year." I watched Mark light a cigarette with a sigh.

"Please just let us go." Serena pleaded.

"I'm sorry, I just can't."

"You aren't going to get away with this, ya know?" I told him. "So far the charge is just false imprisonment and maybe assault, walk away and we will pretend like this never happened."

"I wish I could just walk away. But, it's too late now."

"It is never to late." Serena spoke up.

Serena set the ashtray on her left leg for me to have access to it without having to hold it. It's not like I was too worried about ashes from the cigarettes falling on the floor at the moment but, it was a nice gesture to keep my house clean. I wondered how the hell Serena and Mark could sit and hold a casual conversation while we were being held captive. I wasn't sure what her motive was for talking with him. I sure wasn't in the mood for conversation, I wanted to kick someone's ass. Ignoring them my eyes searched the attic for something to use to cut the rope. Eventually both of my hands would be tied again and I needed a way to get out and fast. After our cigarette Mark tied our hands once more. He claimed the only reason was he didn't want Sheryl to get mad and we agreed. I didn't want to see Sheryl mad again either.

"Ouch! Not so tight!" Serena yelped.

It didn't seem to be as tight as it was before and I was happy for that. Mark sat again. "Mark!" Sheryl yelled from the bottom of the stairway.

"Yes?" He replied.

"Come here!"

Mark stood with a heavy sigh, making his way out of the room, being sure to lock the door behind him.

"Nice job on getting him to loosen one of our hands." I smiled at her.

"Thank you." She smiled back. "You know, something isn't right here."

"What do you mean?" I asked, raising a brow.

"They can't just be here because she's in love with you and has gone mad." Serena shook her head, unbelieving the scenario. "I'm not saying that your not totally hot and couldn't posses a woman to do such a thing. I mean.." she stammered for a few seconds, man she was cute while she was trying to explain something. Staring at her, I waited for her to finish. "What I'm trying to say is, it just doesn't make sense."

I nodded in agreement. "I know and you are right, it really doesn't make sense."

"Are you completely positive you didn't have a relationship with her?"

"Yes."

"I hate to ask but, not even a one night stand? Maybe got too drunk and slept with her?' She asked, looking for possibilities.

I contemplated it for a long minute, wracking my brain to make absolutely sure I didn't sleep with her. "No, I didn't."

"Do you keep money in the house?"

"Not that much, and its in a lock box." I whispered, incase someone was listening at the door.

"God Sig, I just don't know."

"Come on, lets try to get loose." I told her. We both turned our backs to each other. Pushing the chairs together without dragging them across the floor to make noise I tried my best to get my fingers around the knot of Serena's bindings.

"Quit moving your hands." I told her, struggling to get my fingers around the knot of her bindings.

"No, you stop moving yours."

"I don't want to, it'll be easier for me to untie you."

"How do you figure? Do you and your bother try tying each other up and then try to get yourself out of it?"

"Of course not, although now the practice would have been nice."

"It might be easier for me to untie you, after all I have longer and slender fingers, usually its easy for me to untie bad knots." "We aren't going to be able to untie each other at the same time."

"That is true."

While I was struggling to untie her, she was trying to untie me. She playfully slapped my hand, slapping her back we both began to laugh.

"This is so utterly ridiculous." I laughed, shaking my head.

"Ain't it though?" She continued to swat at my hands, I in turn swatted her back.

At least we could find some humor while we were tied up. We continued to try to untie each other but, nothing worked. One, it was too hard for us to untie the knots while we couldn't see it. And two, the knots were tied ridiculously tight hindering any type of escape.

"After this is over, remind me to hide knives and things up here."

Giving up after trying for a long time, I'm not sure exactly how long it was seeing that I couldn't look at my watch, we turned our chairs and moved them so we were sitting beside each other again.

"We need a new plan." Serena sighed sadly.

My head hanging down I took in a few heavy breaths. I didn't know what to do, the situation seemed hopeless. And with hopeless came desperation. I wanted nothing more than to be free which at the moment was easier said than done. I continued to wonder about their real motivation for holding us captive. Maybe Serena was right, they couldn't just be here because I drove her to it. Had it been just about that she wouldn't have brought her friend and she probably would have killed me already. Everything seemed so planned out, from their duffle bag full of items to aid them to the guns they had brought along. The whole situation just bothered me, leaving a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Oh Noooes! how will they get out of it? hehe, i'm so evil sometimes.


	7. Bad Situation

Chapter 7

"Bad Situation"

The air heavy with humidity, dust, and musk making it difficult to concentrate on our escape plan and sometimes difficult to breathe. The stuffiness hindered any attempt to take a heavy breath. Shaking my head I heard the doorknob of the attic door rattle. Sheryl and Mark slowly entered. Sheryl's long blonde wig was on kind of lopsided, the right side bangs hung down more than the left. I wondered where I had seen the dress she was wearing. The dress was way too tight for her body shape. I thought her breasts were going to fall out onto the floor. That was a sight I didn't want to see I decided as I continued with my observation. I continued to wonder where I had seen that dress. I knew that wasn't a dress that June had worn. After all none of her things were at this house. I looked to Serena and then back to Sheryl noticing the similarities in the makeup.

"Great you're stretching the shit out of my favorite dress." Serena growled. "Don't you have any respect for people's property?"

"That's where I've seen that dress, in your closet! I knew it looked familiar." I exclaimed excitedly.

"When were you in my closet?"

"ummm. I'll explain later." I shrugged off her question.

"You bet you will."

"What do you think?" Sheryl asked, spinning in a circle obviously for me to see her. She looked to me and asked. "Do you like?"

'how am I supposed to reply to that? Oh god you look horrible in that dress! It doesn't even fit you.' I thought to myself, my eyes darting about as I tried to think up a response. 'no can't say that, she's liable to shoot me. I gotta say something. What do I say? Lets try' "You look great." I forced a smile, hoping to death she wouldn't see through my lie.

"Are you sure? It isn't too tight is it?" she asked, pouting lightly as her fingers tried to smooth out the material.

"Nope, its just fine." I lied, coughing lightly. I hoped I wouldn't choke on my words.

"Can you open the window, god its so hot in here." Serena complained.

"Would you like the window open?" Sheryl directed her question at me, blatantly ignoring Serena.

"Yes." I agreed, sweat pouring down my forehead.

Sheryl slowly walked over pushing the attic window open. I sighed as the breeze of cool air hit my face. Closing my eyes I felt instantly better and almost refreshed.

Sheryl smiled sweetly as she stepped closer to me. I watched Mark in the background lean against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. I watched helplessly as she continued to come closer. She stopped just inches from me, taking a seat on my lap, she sat sideways. Turning to smile at me, her right arm wrapped around my shoulders.

Mark's expression changed immediately. He looked as if he was jealous, like he wanted to be the one beneath Sheryl and I had no problem with that. I wanted the bitch to get off of me.

"what are you doing?" I asked with curiosity.

"I want to be near you." she whispered, nuzzling my neck with her nose. I tried hard to pull away, I couldn't. Helplessly I looked to Serena, knowing there was nothing she could do. I began praying to god that she would be interrupted. Leaning over she pressed her lips to mine. I tried hard to keep my mouth clamped shut as I struggled against her. Pulling my head back as far as I could she only began to press harder. I had never been kissed so sloppily and I hoped I never would be again.

"Oh god! What did you eat?" I asked, her breath reeking of garlic and something else I couldn't quite place.

"Some pickle and garlic potato chips."

"Could you at least rinse your mouth out with mouthwash or something? God, that's nasty!" I remarked, coughing lightly I spat on the floor.

Serena was holding in her laughter as she watched the spectacle. Ignoring my outburst she tried to kiss me again. Having enough I stood up, knocking her off of my lap and onto the hardwood floor. Sheryl's expression was shocked to say the least, she was not happy as she stood up and began to brush herself off.

"You bastard! You did that on purpose!" she yelled, the rejection making tears well in her eyes. I felt bad for her for oh a split second, then I couldn't help but chuckle at my predicament as I sat back down on my chair.

She tried again this time straddling my hips she smiled at me looking as if I hadn't just pushed her off the first time. I had to admit she rebounded fast.

"Please go wash out your mouth." I begged, moving my head rapidly from left to right and up and down to avoid her nasty kisses.

"Sheryl, come on." Mark ordered unhappily.

"I'm busy." she replied now straddling my hips.

"I said now!" he yelled, hitting his fist against the wooden door frame. I saw Serena jump.

"Oh, poo." she pouted. "I'll be right back, lover boy." She smiled, running her fingers over my lips.

Thanking my lucky stars she got up from my lap, Mark pulling her out of the attic, he slammed the door behind them. I wondered why he had gotten so upset but quickly ignored the thought.

"We need to get out of here!" I growled, trying to pull my hands out of their restraint. I began moving my hands to my right pocket. Trying hard to retrieve what was in my pocket.

Serena gave me an odd look before asking. "What are you doing?" she asked, tilting her head to the side like my old long eared dog used to do.

"My cell phone, its in my pocket." I replied, trying to get my fingers into my pocket.

"What?" She yelled. "You fucking couldn't think.."

"Shhhh." I cut her off, begging her to be quiet.

"You couldn't fuckin' think of that hours ago?" She growled, her voice low and menacing.

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot until she sat on me."

"I'm surprised they didn't frisk you. That asshole Mark frisked me like four times." She said, rolling her eyes as she watched me try to retrieve the phone. "Here let me help."

I watched her pull her chair closer to me. Pulling her creamy white foot from her right sandal she placed it on the outside of my thigh. Slowly she began pushing at the bottom of my pocket, pushing the cell phone toward the pocket opening. After a few seconds my fingers wrapped around the small antenna, pulling the cell phone the rest of the way out I smiled, finally something was going our way.

"Fuck." I growled. "There's a problem." I sighed as I thought about it.

"What?"

"My hands are tied, not like I can put the phone to my ear."

"Yeah." she nodded in agreement. I watched her eyebrows raise in thought. "I have an idea."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to knock myself over so I'm kind of behind you, you can hold the phone out for me. If I do it right my ear should be right below your phone and I can talk to the dispatcher." She explained, hopeful the plan would work.

I nodded in thought, it was really our only move at the moment. This was turning into a big game of chess and we were slowly turning the tables on them.

"We will have to do it fast, when you fall they are sure to hear it and come running." I told her, opening the phone with my fingers.

"As soon as I start rocking hit the send button."

"Okay, hang on." I told her, dialing 911, well what I hoped was 911, without being able to read it I couldn't be sure it dialed right. "Okay, go ahead."

She slowly began to rock her chair left to right, quickening the pace as the chair rocked. I crossed my fingers hoping she would drop toward me and not away from me. If she fell away from me it would certainly fuck our whole plan up. I watched nervously, finally she fell over right toward me. I hit the send button, holding the phone out. I could fell the pressure of her head against the phone.

"Hello?" she whispered. "my friend and I are being held hostage. 1727 oak view drive. Please hurry. Two intruders with guns. You have to hurry!" she cried out.

We heard footsteps on the wooden stairs getting louder and louder as the approached the door. Knowing I couldn't be caught with the phone in my hand. I tossed it aside, hoping it would stay open so the police could hear what was going on. Serena and I both watched it bounce our heads bouncing with it as we watched. Finally it landed, but it landed with the heavier bottom on top. Sadly the phone closed.

"Was that the police?' I whispered.

"Yes." she replied, unable to stand herself back up.

The door flew open, making a loud crashing noise as it hit the wall.

"What the hell is going on up here?" Mark asked, Sheryl hot on his heels. Still wearing Serena's dress.

"I was trying to scratch my leg and I fell over." Serena's excuse fell on deaf ears as Mark picked up the chair and stood her upright.

Neither Mark or Sheryl believed us but, the ignored any thought of wrong doing.

"You know, you two have been spending an awful lot of time downstairs, what are you doing down there?" Serena asked, looking at each one of our captors.

"None of your business." Mark growled.

"Come on, something else is going on here, tell us what it is." She continued.

"Shut up." Mark growled again, staring dead into her eyes.

"I will not, tell me."

Mark's fist came up, he punched her hard in the jaw, I saw her head snap backwards with such force it hurt me just watching it. "I told you to shut up."

She looked up with him even in the low light I could see her small smile. "You hit like a bitch."

"You want me to hit you again?" he asked.

"Go ahead."

"No!" I yelled, trying to move.

He stopped suddenly. Mark and Sheryl looked to each other for a split second as if sending a telepathic message.

"Stay here and watch them." Sheryl ordered, walking down the stairway.

"Keep talking bitch, you're just digging the hole deeper, there's something you should know." Mark said, leaning down in front of her. The tip of his nose barely pressing toward hers "There is someone coming to see you, and I'm sure he won't like you taunting us like this."

Something in her changed immediately. For the first time that night I saw the fear in her eyes and her expression.

"Who?" I asked.

"You'll see in time." He smirked mischievously. "Won't be long now." He continued, sitting down on a wooden chair in front of us. Pulling a buck knife from his boot he pressed the tip of it to the back of his nail. Digging out any dirt stuck behind the nail. There was a long silence between the three of use. I had nothing nice to say and as my mother taught me you don't have anything nice to say, you don't say anything at all.

"You love Sheryl, don't you?" Serena tried a new tactic to get him to talk. We both knew we had a better chance to get him to talk than getting Sheryl to talk.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I've seen the way you look at her, you can't fake that. It must be hard for you to watch her lust after someone else."

"Shut up." Mark ordered, pointing his knife at her.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "May I have another cigarette?"

He looked up at her looking as if he almost felt sorry for her. Her long brown hair had fallen out of the hairclip and was laying down the middle of her back. The clip hanging by only a few hairs. Her mascara smeared down her cheeks. Nodding he pulled two cigarettes from the pack, placing one between my lips he quickly lit it.

"Thank you." We nodded in unison, taking in a deep breath of smoke.

"You know, you could give yourselves up now, just leave, no one's gotten hurt and we won't tell anyone." Serena pleaded.

"We won't tell." I added.

Mark looked from Serena to me something almost melancholy in his voice. "I can't do that, I'm in too deep."

"Dean?" Serena barely whispered, at first I didn't catch what she had said.

Mark slowly nodded, confirming her fear.

"I'm sorry." Serena whispered suddenly, I couldn't understand why she was apologizing to him, I wasn't sure what I was missing within the conversation.

"Tell me what happened."

Mark sighed heavily. The hardness of his features softened as he looked at Serena. "Yes he's here. Why do you think we are holding you guys here? Oh sure, Sheryl really is in love with him." Mark continued, pointing to me for a split second. "So it was only natural we used that to get in."

"But, Sheryl started bothering me before I met Serena." I thought aloud.

"Dean saw Sheryl while he was looking for Serena. I suppose it was only natural they teamed up." he said, placing the tip of the knife he held beneath his finger nail he pushed the gunk out from beneath the nail. "This way they both get what they want."

"And what do you get?" Serena asked, rolling her neck to help get some relief from the pain from being hit.

Mark shook his head remaining silent.

"You're here to make sure Sheryl doesn't get hurt." I filled in the blank, suddenly feeling slightly sorry for the guy. The feeling quickly passed as I recounted the events of earlier that night. I wanted both of them to burn in hell for what they were doing.

"Mark, come down here!" Sheryl yelled. He immediately stood, not saying a word he left us alone in the attic.

"Why do you do that?" I asked, moving my chair closer to Serena to look at her jaw where she had been struck.

"This isn't the first time I've been hit, probably won't be the last either."

I looked to her, the skin where she had been hit was already beginning to bruise. "Who is Dean?"

Swallowing hard she turned away with a pained expression lining her face. "Remember that ex-husband I was telling you about?"

I nodded in response.

"He's the ex-husband. I really thought I got away from him this time." She whispered sadly. "I didn't use my credit cards or my bank account. I don't know how the hell he found me."

"How is it that he can find you?"

She sighed, taking a deep breath I had a feeling she didn't want to tell me the reason. "He's a forgery expert. He can forge anything, cash, social security cards. He has a fake badge, goes around pretending to be a cop or FBI. Cops never question him they just assume he is legit. All he has to do is put out an APB on something dumb like wanted for pick pocketing and I get picked up. I was under the cops radar I didn't get pulled over." she shook her head in thought. "I'll never get away from that mother fucker."

"Yes you will."

"How?" she asked, looking up at me.

"I don't know." I shook my head honestly letting everything soak into my brain. Sweat pouring down my forehead from the heat. I hoped as the night passed on it would get cooler but, it only seemed to get hotter.

Everything went quiet for a matter of an hour or so. Serena and I didn't speak. We rarely heard any noise from downstairs, I figured they were in the living room which was the one room furthest away from the attic. One of the lights behind us burned out, leaving one light on the ceiling burning for us to see. My head hanging down I took a deep breath, Fatigue setting in my eyes they began to close on their own accord. I wasn't sure how long we had been held in the attic. It felt like we had been up there for days when in reality it was probably only hours. Grasping at the last few strings of alertness I heard the doorknob rattle.

"Is this house haunted? That's the third time that's happened."

"I don't think so." I shrugged. "Of course this is the longest I've ever spent up here."

The door opened on the other side to reveal Sheryl. Before I could even move Serena was out of her chair grabbing it she hit Sheryl over the head. Sheryl fell to the floor in a pile. Serena looked to me a smirk spreading across her face as she closed the attic door, stepping toward me.

"wow." I breathed. I looked up at Serena's face, her blue eyes staring into mine. She pulled the dangling hairclip from her hair, tossing it aside. Confusion spread on my face as she neglected to untie me but, instead sat on my lap facing me. "Don't you think we should get out of here?" I asked nervously looking toward the door.

"Plenty of time for that." She smiled leaning over to capture my lips in a passionate kiss. I tried hard to pull my hands out of their restraints.

"Untie me." I breathed between kisses.

She pulled away slightly a mischievous grin on her lips. "Where would be the fun in that?"

Her eyes filled with lust and excitement as she kissed me again. I wanted desperately to put my hands on her, to feel her smooth silky skin. It then occurred to me that I had somehow gotten into a bad porno but, her kisses pushed away any rational thought as her hands moved down my chest and to the waist of my pants.

"Sig." She breathed, unbuttoning the restricting jeans her fingers ignoring the boxers as she ran her fingers over my growing erection.

I moaned in return, closing my eyes.

"Sig!" she yelled my name, causing me to snap immediately out of my dream and back to reality. I looked around with confusion and then embarrassment. I felt my face flush a bright red, I looked away trying to hide it from her. "Wow, that must have been some dream." she smirked with a raised brow.

"Why do you say that?" I asked trying to calm myself.

"Only because you were moaning. What ever you were dreaming about sounded like fun."

"It was just a dream." I shrugged it off.

"You were moaning someone's name."

My head snapped up to look at her, my eyes trying to read her expression.

"To bad I couldn't understand you." she pouted lightly.

Feeling a slight victory when she didn't know I was dreaming of her a sigh of relief passed through my lips.

Sheryl and Mark entered the attic in a hurry, neither one looking happy.

"Did you call the cops?" Mark asked, trudging right up to me, pointing his handgun in my face.

"No." I replied, trying to back up, my eyes wide with confusion.

"Then it was you?" Sheryl asked, her attention turning to Serena.

"We don't have a phone, how the fuck would we call?" I asked, trying to take their concentration off of Serena.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Mark yelled.

"Fuck you." I replied, sick of being bullied.

My reply was met with a hard punch to the jaw. My head snapped back painfully when I rebounded I felt the blood dripping down my cheek.

"Baby!" Sheryl screamed, rushing to my aid. Which only seemed to piss off Mark more.

"Don't get blood on my dress!" Serena yelled angrily.

Ignoring her Sheryl pulled up the dress as far as she could, dabbing my lip she wiped away the blood. "I told you not to hit him!" Sheryl screamed, pushing Mark backwards. Tripping on his own feet he fell to the floor. Looking up I spotted the red and blue lights from police cars flashing against the wooden walls.

"Knock it off!" I heard an unfamiliar deep voice yell. I hadn't heard him approach. Serena frightened expression worried me. She was breathing heavily as was I. The man stood in the darkness of the doorway. Squinting my eyes I couldn't see his face in the dim light. I knew we were in a world of trouble, more so than we were moments ago. I began to wonder if we were going to make it out alive. Even with the police just outside.


	8. Gone

just a kinda short one for now, hope to be updating a little later :o) enjoy!

Chapter 8

"Gone"

Sheryl continued to sit on my lap. I had to admit the perfume she wore belonging to Serena smelt wonderful. The heat of the attic continued to build up, even with the window open. I looked to the mystery man his footsteps no longer silent a man entered the attic. He stood at about 6'3, although it was hard to tell sitting down. Stepping into the dim light gave his overhanging forehead his eyes rather deep in their sockets gave him a menacing look. His Short black hair spiked up. He wore a blue jean jacket and dark wash jeans. He looked to be around his early thirties which made him right in Serena's age bracket and made me feel like an old pedophile for even thinking of her in a sexual way. One hand in his jeans pocket and the other behind his back he approached Serena.

"How are you, my love?" Dean asked, stopping to stand before Serena.

"Perfect, just fucking perfect." She scoffed in reply, staring a hole into his skull.

"I've missed you."

"Really? I haven't missed you."

"Oh, that hurts." a mock expression of pain on his face. "It hasn't been easy tracking you down, you've gotten rusty, haven't you?"

"I haven't had much practice."

"Which is very good for me. You didn't think you could escape, did you?" Dean asked, running his fingers over her left cheek. She quickly pulled her head away.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"My wife." He smiled, looking to Serena.

"I'm not your wife." she spat angrily.

"Maybe not now, but, one day you will be my wife again. One way or the other."

"Never." She spat angrily, at that moment I wished looks could kill, all three of them would be dead and we would be left free.

"There will be plenty of time for that later." He spoke softly, kneeling before Serena to look into her eyes. "There is one resolved issue. Where are they?"

"What's what?'

"You know what."

She started at him for a moment. I was unsure what they were talking about. "They are gone, threw them off a bridge."

"You wouldn't of done that."

"I did."

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked with confusion.

"She didn't tell you?"

I shook my head in response.

"You have been living with an ex- CIA agent turned best thief in the world."

I blinked in surprise, looking to Serena, her head hung down her dark brown hair covering her face. It couldn't be true. She couldn't be a thief or an ex member of the CIA. "Bullshit." I replied.

"I wish it was. Because then, I wouldn't have gone to jail for her narcin' on me." He stood to full height once again, keeping his eyes on her he leaned down and began to speak, his voice low and menacing. "I want you to think really hard about where those diamonds and my money are. If you don't tell me I will start shooting, beginning with your friend over there. Come on."

He lead Mark out of the attic, but Sheryl didn't move from my lap.

"Sheryl, come right now." Dean yelled, making me jump. I had known him for what five minutes now and I already though he was the biggest asshole I had ever seen.

"But.." She trailed off, running her fingers through my blonde hair. Every time she touched me it made me feel sick to my stomach, I thought I was going to throw up all over Serena's dress. Dean walked toward us, grabbing Sheryl by the arm. "I said lets fucking go." he growled angrily, pulling her out of the attic. I heard my cell phone begin to vibrate on the floor, my eyes followed the sound. I hoped to god neither one of them would hear it.

"Bye." Sheryl waved with a smile.

"That guy is such an asshole." I remarked, staring at the red and blue flashing lights on the wall.

"Isn't that the truth." Serena nodded.

"Is it true? What he said?" I asked, moving my chair to sit beside her.

She didn't reply right away, instead she sat silently staring at the floor. I began to become worried, and then I began to wonder if she had made up everything just to try and steal from me.

"Well?" I barked, becoming somewhat angry.

"Yes." She softly whispered. "I was a CIA agent when I met him, I thought I loved him."

I shook my head and exhaled quickly. " So what you've been using me to hide from him? Or hide from the cops maybe? Is your truck really broken, or did you see me on TV and figured hey I bet he has cash, why not take what he has."

"No!" she yelled, finally looking up to me. "It wasn't like that! Our meeting was nothing short of fate, my truck did break down."

"Fate huh?" I scoffed, shaking my head.

"I am so sorry I brought you into this." she apologized. "When this is over, I will leave immediately."

"Maybe that would be best." I saw the tears welling in her eyes, making me immediately feel guilty and sad. "Are the diamonds and money here?"

She shook her head no in reply.

"Then where?"

"It's better you don't know. I wouldn't want him to torture you for the information."

Taking a deep breath I tried to calm myself. I was angry at her for not telling me about her past, but then why should I expect her to tell me something that seems very personal. Looking up to the window I realized the sun was bringing to rise in the eastern sky.. Calculating the time in my head I realized we had now been held hostage for nine hours. Dean and Mark didn't return for what seemed like hours. The sound of hammers hitting my walls made the anger boil inside my veins. I now knew what they were looking for. Why they thought she had somehow gotten it into the walls escaped my comprehension.

Dean and Mark reentered the attic. "Did you two have a lovely chat?" Dean asked with a slight smile, the sun hitting his face.

Suddenly we saw something fly through the window and land in the middle of the floor. Each of us inspected it, realizing it was a cell phone. Serena and I looked to each other in surprise when it began to ring.

"Hello?" Mark answered it, looking rather confused. "It's the police." he muttered, his hand over the receiver. "They want our demands."

"Hmmm.. demands huh?" Dean's eyes went up in thought. He rubbed his chin in thought. "Tell them you want some food, a 1969 Oldsmobile 442, and… you'll get back to them for the rest. That should take them awhile anyway."

"You're not going to make it out of here." I told them angrily.

"That's my problem, not yours." Dean said, resting his arm on his holstered gun.

"Stay here, I'm going to finish searching the house." Dean ordered. Nodding Mark did as he was told Sitting on a chair he placed his knife onto the table.

"This is Washington State police department, come out with your hands up!" We heard a police officer yell over a bullhorn.

"Fuck you!" We heard Dean scream from a window.

Mark looked to the window, his facial expression changing to fear. Serena eyed Mark and softly whispered. "You should give yourself up now."

"I can't."

"You love her, don't you?"

Mark eyed Serena for a few seconds before replying. "Yes."

"You should tell her."

"No, she's in love with him." Mark said, pointing to me. I found it completely odd that they were again holding a casual conversation.

"So what? Maybe she'd give up on him if she knew."

"I doubt it." he said sadly.

"I know its hard. Maybe you should talk to her about giving up. I don't want to see you killed because of us."

"I'm sorry." Mark shook his head. To my surprise he looked genuinely sorry. It took some kind of strange love to kidnap two adults and hold them hostage.

"Mark, come here a sec!" Dean yelled.

Mark quickly left the room, leaving his knife behind. It finally looked as if things were starting to turn in our favor, quickly standing I turned my back to the table. Grabbing the knife with my right hand I put the blade to the inside of the rope. Groaning I moved my wrist vigorously trying to cut the rope when I heard someone on the other side of the door. My head snapped up to look at it, my eyes wide. Setting the knife back down with a curse I retreated to my seat. Hoping I had cut the rope enough to pull my hands free.

"Alright, where are they bitch?" Dean asked, entering the attic with Sheryl and Mark.

"I don't have them anymore!" Serena yelled.

"You're a fucking liar." He yelled, his right hand clenched into a fist he punched her hard. She cried out in pain, her head snapping backward the chair falling backward. "Pick her up."

Mark did as he was told, picking her up and placing her back on the feet of the chair. Putting the barrel of the gun to her head Dean angrily cursed. "I swear to god I will blow your fucking brains all over the walls!"

"Go ahead." Serena growled. "Put me out of my fucking misery!" Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she looked up at Dean, her blue eyes shining in the sunlight.

He cocked back the hammer, his hand on the trigger. Pulling the gun up he pulled the trigger. The loud popping sound of the gun filling my ears as he shot three times. "One more chance!"

Screaming and profanity came from outside the window.

"NO! Leave her alone." I yelled angrily, standing from my chair I approached him.

"And just what the fuck do you plan on doing?" Dean laughed with surprise, pulling the gun away from Serena. I really didn't have a plan, I just had a need to defend her. I kicked him as hard as I could in the balls, he immediately fell to the floor into a pile.

"Ohh! That is so sexy!" Sheryl smiled happily clapping her hands. "Defend your woman!" she snapped her fingers.

Mark approached me. I realized now I really should have thought of a plan before I decided to stupidly execute it. My palms facing the floor, my legs spaced apart I looked from right to left quickly. With no other option I did the same to him he groaned in surprise and shock as he hit the floor. Pulling my hands apart I smiled victoriously. Sheryl approached me, not sure what to do, my hand clenched into a fist as I punched her as hard as I could.

"Sorry." I apologized, with a scrunched face, grabbing the knife I untied Serena. I grabbed Mark's AK, while Serena grabbed Deans 45. We quickly backed out of the room and began to make our way down the stairs.

"Get them!" Dean yelled, regaining his composure Dean and Mark followed us down the stairway. We ran as quickly as possible. Truth was I didn't hear anything, Serena later told me she was yelling but, I never heard it. The adrenaline pumping in my ears I could hear my own heartbeat, thump..thump…thump..thump.. Swallowing hard I pointed the gun toward Dean and Mark, hoping I wouldn't have to shoot. I had never shot at anyone, never thought I would be put in this sort of predicament. Two short blasts filled my ears next, pop pop…Mark surprise and fear in his eyes he fell to the floor on the wooden stairs. Dean tripped over his fallen comrade, falling from halfway down the stairs to the bottom in a matter of seconds. Now on the second floor we continued to run, reaching the stairway to make our way down to the first floor. Everything was fuzzy and surprisingly quiet.

"Get out now!" Serena's voice broke through the fuzziness.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"Yes, you are. Go!" she pleaded. I couldn't, there was no way I'd leave her to defend herself now.

Before we could make it down the stairs, Dean was close. The fall down the stairs made it easier for him to catch up to us. He was unarmed giving us the clear advantage.

"Come now, lets fight this, man to man." Dean spoke. "I promise it won't last long."

"No, go downstairs, turn yourself in." I told him angrily.

"I can't do that."

Dean lunged at me so quickly I had no time to even think about it, knocking the gun from my hand. I kicked him hard in the stomach. Next my right hand came up, giving him a vicious uppercut. Blood dripped from his nose but he continued to come toward me. I looked over to find Serena now fighting off Sheryl, we were losing our advantage too quickly. Dean and I fought it out, kicking and punching each other. My mind losing its focus from the hard jabs I began to wonder if I was fighting a losing battle. From the corner of my eye I saw Serena fall onto the floor in a pile. She had been hit by something, but I couldn't for the life of me make out what it was. I felt something hit me hard on the back of my head. So hard I immediately fell to the floor. My eyes wide I watched as Dean and Sheryl walked over to Serena's lifeless body. I wondered if she was dead. "We need to get out of here!" dean yelled angrily.

"How?" Sheryl asked.

Dean grinned viciously. "You're taking the fall."

Blinking my eyes a few times I realized she couldn't be dead, they were picking her body up and with that everything went black.

I woke to the sound of many people talking all at once. The sun was warm on my face as I struggled to open my eyes. A oxygen mask on my face I swallowed hard.

"Sig! Sig!" I heard Edgar's voice as he rushed to my side. "Are you okay?"

"What happened here?' A police officer asked, holding a pad of paper just like in the movies.

"Serena? Serena?" I asked, repeating her name several times.

'I'm sorry, she's gone." The police officer said.

"How's that possible? You had the place surrounded." I asked, sitting up I pushed the oxygen mask from my face.

"They slipped out, we have officers looking for the vehicle they escaped in, we should have them any minute now." He informed me with a hopeful look.

"Is he going to be okay?" Edgar asked, looking to the EMT who nodded slowly.

"We need an interview." The police officer said.

"Can't you do it later? Can't you see he's hurt?" Edgar asked with concern.

"Of course." The officer nodded.

Laying back on the stretcher I sighed, watching them cart out Mark's dead body I shook my head. I couldn't believe this was real, how could this possibly happen to me? This was a story out of a movie, so I didn't think it could possibly be real life. This shit could only happen to me I supposed.


	9. Searching

I think this one is a little boring but i really needed it to tie everything together.. enjoy!

Chapter 9

"Searching"

Two days had passed since Sheryl was arrested and taken to jail after being caught trying to run from the backdoor of my property, which was the distraction that kept Dean and Serena from being caught as they escaped. After explaining to the cops over and over again what happened they finally left. With no real injuries I opted out of going to the hospital, deciding it better to stay home. Standing in front of the couch I stared at the large hole in the wall just above the back of the couch. There were quite a few different holes Dean, Sheryl and Mark had created in all parts of the house I guessed for no other reason then to really piss me off. Rubbing my palm across my face I sighed, wondering if Serena was even still alive or this whole thing had been a bunch of bull shit. Of course had it been bull shit, why would she leave her truck and belongings at my house? The whole thing was confusing enough I had bunch questions and, no god damn answers.

"You okay?" Edgar asked, cautiously approaching me. I had been standoffish the past few days, I knew it, I didn't care.

"Fine." I put it as simply as possible, taking a hit from the cigarette in my hand. Stepping away from the couch I approached the window, looking out of the green grass and sunny afternoon.

"How long is it going to take?"

"For what?"

"Before you come to your senses and get rid of her things."

"I'm not getting rid of her things yet." I growl at him, giving him a look of death before turning back to the window.

"I'm sorry." he says, putting his hands up in defense. "I just…. You can't wait forever."

"It's been two god damn days, Edgar! I think I owe it to her to wait for awhile!" I snap angrily, watching the construction truck pull into my driveway.

"The guys are here to fix the damage."

"I'll be upstairs."

"Don't worry, I'll deal with them!" he calls after me.

Ignoring him I made climbed the carpeted stairs, stepping over the bloodstain Mark's body had left. Knowing before I could have Serena's room fixed it would have to be cleaned up. Taking a deep breath my hand landed on the cool brass doorknob. Turning it I slowly pushed the door open. Shaking my head at the destruction. It looked as if a tornado had passed right through the middle of the room. Random items littered the floor; a few lamps, papers, any decoration that was on the dressers. Looking to the top of the dresser I spotted a key ring, walking toward it I picked up the silver key chain that read 'right now my world is upside down, so if you don't mind you'll have to kiss my ass' I laughed to myself, sticking the key ring in my pocket for later use. The dresser drawers had been pulled open and left that way. Clothing hanging over the edge of the drawers. It then occurred to me with all of the destruction the right side of the dresser where she kept her gun was still neatly closed. It was an odd sight. Why would four drawers on the left side and the middle of the dresser be open with her clothing hanging out while the last three drawers stacked on each other on the right side were left alone. Opening the middle dresser drawer I pushed my hand to the back of the drawer, the tips of my fingers finding their way to the cold steel. Smiling to myself I pulled the 380 handgun from beneath the t-shirts. I stared at it in awe. How could something so beautiful be so deadly? Questions began to plague my mind as I stepped backward I sat on the corner of the bed with a sigh the full size bed was littered with papers and a light drywall dusting. If it was a set up why would she have left her two prize possessions? Her truck and her gun? Nothing made sense anymore

"You okay?" Edgar asked from the doorway, his hands in his pockets.

"Fine." I say, looking up at him.

"Where'd you get that?"

"Serena's."

"Can I see it?"

"Sure." I nod, standing to hand him the gun.

"It's nice."

"Do you really think she played me?"

"I don't know. Somehow, I don't think so."

"Excuse me, Mr. Hansen, would you like the wall to be painted the same color?"

Edgar immediately looked to me.

"I thought you said you'd take care of it."

"Well, if you don't like the paint now would be a good time to change it." He reasoned.

"There's paint cans in the basement of all of the colors that are currently on the walls, you should have enough for the fix."

"I'll show you where they are." Edgar replied, returning the gun to my palm he lead the contractor from the room.

After a quick cleaning of Serena's room I took her gun to the master bedroom, tucking it away in my safe I sighed. Making my way back downstairs to be sure the contractors where working. It was getting late in the day and I knew they would be leaving soon. Standing on the front porch I sighed, taking a long drag from my cigarette I stared at Serena's truck. What the hell was happening to me? Why the hell did I care so much about someone I hardly knew. Should I even care? If it were true she was a thief, should I write her off? The thought didn't make me feel better at all. Something was wrong with me, I figured out that much. Digging into my pocket I pulled out her key ring, making the conscious decision to see what was inside. Walking to the driver side I took the last drag from my cigarette, tossing it into the bushes with a huff I quickly unlocked and opened the large door. The scent of her perfume mixed with the hanging pine air freshener with the undertone of cigarettes made me smile briefly. Sitting in the drivers seat I began my search, pulling the visors down I opened the flap for the mirror, nothing. I did the same to the passenger side, a small piece of paper fell out, it had a phone number written on it but, nothing else. Stashing the pice of paper in my pocket I looked around unsure of what I was looking for made it more difficult. Reaching over I tried to open the glove box, locked. Grabbing the keying I quickly unlocked it. Nothing of real importance, a few receipts and the owners manual along with a few pens. Slamming it shut I looked down to the floor. A few random McDonald's wrappers and loose change laid on the floor untouched. Opening the center counsel my eye caught something in the bottom. Lifting the insert that hung in the middle I set it on the seat. Pushing the random papers aside my fingers gently ran over the hard covered book.

"Hey bro, whatcha doin?" Edgar's voice caught me off guard causing me to jump lightly.

"Christ, Edgar!" I snapped, looking over to him as if I were a child and my hand was caught in the cookie jar just before dinner. "What do you watch me, wait till I'm not paying attention then see if you can scare the shit right out of me?"

"Sorry man." He apologized.

"It's fine."

"So…what are you doing?" he asks again this time with curiosity.

"Looking." I say, pulling the book from the counsel.

"anything interesting? Unlock the other door." I eyed him for a second but, complied. Unlocking the passenger seat Edgar rounded the truck and got in.

Opening the book toward the middle I began to read, the entry dated a few months ago.

_It's been strange being on my own, I haven't ever really been on my own. I'm somewhere near the Tennessee boarder, I made it halfway to Florida when I decided I had to turn and go north. It will be summer soon and that is no place to be in the summer, to damned hot there. I don't know if he is following me, though I fear he might be. Every time I turn around I can only hope he hasn't located me yet. I traded in the '79 trans am, the car my father gave me for my 16th__ birthday, I feel guilty about it. It took him so long to save up for it but, I know now I didn't have a choice. With a different car it'll take him longer to find me. I need to end the trail I've been setting up for him, I will end it later tomorrow once I drain our savings and checking accounts, that should give me enough money to make it to Oregon after that, I just don't know. I'm tired but, I need to keep moving like it's my last because it might be. _

"Well, what is it?"

"A diary." I say closing it and looking it over in interest. Looking to my lap I realize a picture had fallen out, flipping it over I looked at it. The background was a green grassed hillside and an older white house with black window panes. In the foreground stood Serena, to her left an older gentleman his hair a salt and pepper color, obviously thinned by age, his face hard and unsmiling. To the right stood a petite older woman, her long red hair floating in the wind behind her. Her hands together in front of her, she looked happy yet sad. I could only guess that it was a photograph of her parents. It was recent I knew that much. My eyes floated back to Serena, She wore black jeans and a red t-shirt. Her hair tied into a pony tail.

"I thought only teenage girls kept diaries." He replied, getting out to pull the seat forward and look into the backseat.

"Apparently not." tucking the picture back into the dairy I set it on the gray dashboard. Taking another look into the counsel before putting the insert back inside and closing it tightly. Standing from the seat I pulled the driver seat forward, the backseat folded down a pillow at the far end of the cab and two folded up blankets beside it. The cab was rather clean for the amount of time she had probably spent inside. Reaching beneath the pillow Edgar retrieved another book, opening it immediately.

"Another diary?"

He nodded in response. "This one seems to be current."

"She must write everyday. You know what that means?"

He shook his head no as he eyed me.

"There's got to be more, we have some reading to do."

"Oh no, we can't read her private thoughts."

"What if this is the way to find her?"

"Then we should hand them over to the police."

"No, if she really was a "thief" I don't want them reading about it." I tell him, walking to the back of the truck. Unlocking and lifting the tinted window on the cap I looked inside the bed. There was a massive amount of boxes and none of them were labeled. Which only meant we were going to have to tear it apart until we found what we were looking for or something better.

"I don't know about this.." Edgar trailed off with a sigh.

"Edgar I know I have no right to ask of you to help me. If you don't want to, you don't have to."

I began pulling boxes from the bed and opening them, one right after the other. With a heavy breath Edgar followed, lighting a cigarette he pulled up a chair from the garage and began to look through the boxes as I pulled them out.

"ahah, Bingo" Edgar smiled.

Jumping down from the tailgate of the truck I stepped toward him to see what he had found, pulling the Marlboro from the box I quickly lit it, inhaling the soothing smoke. I looked down into the box, surprised to find it filled with what I guessed to be diaries.

"There have to be diaries from every year for the past ten years." Edgar gasped, picking up a few of them in a cluster.

"Damn." I mutter, now realizing just how much work this was going to be. "What kind of a thief do you know of writes down every thing they've ever done?" I ask, now more confused than ever.

"Not a very good one?" Edgar jokes, I didn't laugh.

"Bring the box into the house, there's a few other ones I want to look through I'll bring them in."

"So were really going to do this?"

Taking a heavy breath I thought about it for a long moment, if there was ever a time to turn back it was now. I wasn't in any trouble yet. Could something really bad happen if we were to read these? Or would I learn things about her that would ruin any type of relationship we may have had. I thought long and hard before replying. "Yes."


	10. Searching Her Past

Disclaimer: i don't own Deadliest Catch or any of the men on the show..though if you know of a way to rent Sig, please let me know!

Chapter 10

"Searching Her Past"

With the contractors gone for the day we set up what Edgar liked to call our "Up Shits Creek" room in the dining room. I pulled a white board in from, well I'm not sure where it came from but, I'm glad I had it. Boxes and papers littered the large dining room table. I gathered my crew in hopes of going through her diaries quicker enabling us to find her even faster. There was at least twenty in the box, plus other various ones laying about. As it turned out she had been following Dean for a long time before she had even met him. From what we gathered from her past notes she was given the job of tracking down a local thief with ties to a drug cartel but, we haven't been able to figure out which one specifically yet.

"What the hell are we doing here?" Matt asked, shifting in the dining room chair.

"Well.." I began, trying to find the right words. "I want to go after Serena. I know it won't be easy and I don't even know if we will find her. I don't know much of anything right now, what I do know is I can't do this alone."

"I don't know, man." Matt shook his head.

"Where would we be going?" Jake asks curiously, lighting a cigarette.

"So far, I've tracked their movements back to Minnesota. These are her diaries, she's listed every place and basically everything she's ever done. Edgar and I started a map of places to start looking for her, the end result we may end up in Minnesota."

"That's kind of far.." Norman said, picking up diary.

"Come on, I'm not the first of us to come to the crew asking for a favor. Remember last year when Jake wanted to go to Vegas?"

"Yeah, and Norman went home early cause his wife threatened him." Jake teased.

"Hey! She sent me a box of her lingerie and a note that said come home now with the box or you can wear it, because I certainly won't be wearing it anymore. What was I supposed to do?"

"You run home and get that pussy, that's what you do." Edgar laughed. "And the year before, Matt you wanted to go to Arizona to see tombstone.. I mean we usually take a trip in the summer anyway. And I haven't had my chance to pick a destination. So now, I'm picking one."

"I don't know man, my girl would kill me if I left now." matt said.

"Yeah, that woman has you tied around her little finger."

"That's okay, I figured you'd chicken out." I shrugged, looking to the rest of the guys. "Truth is I don't need all of you to come, just a couple of you."

"I'll help you go through the diaries though." Matt offered, which I accepted.

The men looked to each other, except for Edgar who was engrossed in one of the diaries, all eyes turned to him. His lips were moving while he read, I noticed he was beginning to blush as he leaned his chair on the two back legs.

"Ed!" I yelled to get his attention, no good. "Edgar!"

Jake slugged Edgar on the shoulder, he fell backwards onto the floor. "What the hell!" he yelled, standing up he put his chair back on its legs, sitting back down.

"That must be good reading." Norman decided.

"What you reading about?" I asked, snatching the diary from his hand.

"Hey! Give it back! That ones mine!" Edgar yelled, standing up to follow me.

Quietly I read the page he was on.

_I closed my eyes, his lips found their way to my neck. Releasing my hair from it's clip it fell down over my shoulders in a big heap. Running my fingers though them to separate the big curl I smiled softly to him. Watching him in the dim candle light was something I had never expected to be so striking. We smiled at each other as he unzipped the back of my dress, letting it fall to the floor at my feet. His fingers softly caressing my neck as he kissed me breathless, his hands lifting me I wrapped my bare legs around his waist. Breathing heavily I looked up at him, staring into his eyes wishing I could read his thoughts. Laying me onto the bed his fingers caressed the inside of my thigh and began to move northward. _

"You're reading about her having sex?" I yelled angrily my eyes wide, astounded.

"I can't help she wrote about everything." Edgar shrugged, tearing the diary from my grasp. "I gotta say, she's good at writing."

At that point every one of the men grabbed for a diary, mission accomplished I guess.

"If you guys read anything too graphic mark it and set it down, no reading about her sex life." my warning fell on deaf ears as they each became engrossed in their own diary. I hadn't expected her to write anything so… graphic. Had I known I would have kept the diaries to myself. Too late now, I suddenly felt as if we were intruding on her privacy, smashing it to smithereens I only hoped the information we would gather would be enough to help us find her. Knowing her life could hang in the balance and no one was looking for her it was a sacrifice I had to make whether I was willing to make it or not.

~Hours Later~

Evening turned into the stillness of night we had accomplished more than I thought we would. The large ashtrays overflowing with cigarette butts, the table littered with empty beer bottles. Each one of us writing down random notes.

"My eyes hurt." Jake complained as he stretched. "This is probably the most I've read since high school."

"Try grade school." Edgar laughed, sipping his beer.

"This girl sure did get around." Norman said, shaking his head. "I don't know how she kept it all straight, on the one hand she's undercover as some girl named Michelle, then at the same time she's playing an arms dealer named…"

"Jackie." Jake filled in for him.

"I'm confused just being me." Norman laughed, smashing the cigarette butt into the ashtray, a few butts spilling onto the table.

"What else do we have so far?" I asked, placing a marker on my the page I set down the diary I was in the middle of.

"Well, she talks a lot about a place in Montana. A cabin in the woods on a lake."

"Isn't that where she spent her honeymoon, when she married Dean?" Jake asked.

"I think so."

"Do we have an address?"

"I thought I saw an address book in here somewhere." I said, standing to look through one of the boxes.

"She also talks about a contact, someone who she always went to for help. She never mentions his name though."

"that must be what this phone number is." I say, pulling a piece of paper from my pocket. A phone number had been written on it in purple ink.

"One thing I do know, she's been through a lot of heartache."

"She also talks about a place in South Dakota, some small town that Dean always took her to in the summer."

"Right, that's where he grew up. His mom was an alcoholic, his dad died when he was five."

"What else do we know about Dean?" I ask, continuing my search.

"He's an asshole." Standing Edgar walked to the whiteboard, writing asshole beside Dean's name as he shook his head. "I don't get why she even married that fucker, he beat the crap out of her on a number of occasions."

"She was in love with him." Matt spoke up.

"that's complete bullshit. You don't stay with someone that beats you." Edgar snapped.

"We aren't here to debate over why she married him, we just need facts." I tried to get them back on track.

"Some women do, and I don't think it was love. She married him for her job."

All eyes turned to Jake. "What? She was undercover when they met, She had orders to follow him, to make friends with him and find out about his activities. I think it was more the excitement of being with a criminal than love. After awhile she was in too deep, before they even married she tried to leave he somehow found her."

"That guy is like a spy, he uses anything he can to his advantage, fraudulent passports, I.D.S, anything he can get his hands on."

"I don't get why they didn't put her into a witness program."

"They needed her." Matt stated simply. "With out her they had no case . They wanted to charge him not only for being a jewel thief but, also drug trafficking but, they had no evidence."

That's when it hit me. "These aren't her personal diaries, well, some of it is some of it is to build an unbreakable case against him."

"They need to add murder to that list, her first contact tried to intervene after the first time he beat her and he mysteriously disappeared a month later." Norman added.

"He's one bad guy, if we are going to go up against him…" Edgar trailed off, running his hand over his head. "I don't know man.."

Learning more about Dean was making us more reluctant with every step. We understood why she was scared and ran for Washington. I lit a cigarette in thought, wondering if it was worth risking my men and myself for someone I barely knew. If I had to would I be able to pull that trigger?

"I think we have a really good list to start from, lucky for us she stayed in the northern half of the states."

"You're going through with this?" Edgar asked.

I nodded, my mind was made up. "Go home, get some rest. I'm leaving at eight AM. I don't know what's going to happen and I can't promise its going to be easy either. All I do know is I can't do this alone."

The men stood, Matt approached me first. "I'm sorry man, I just can't make it." He spoke as we walked toward the front door. "Good luck, man. I hope you find her."

One by one the men left with a new weight on their shoulders. Crawling into bed wearing a pair of boxers I wondered if she was in distress or if she was happy. But, how could she be happy with him? Maybe she had gotten away and the trip would be for nothing. If she had gotten away, would she come back here for her things? I spent the night tossing and turning, my mind plagued with questions wondering if I was making the right call. It felt like the first night when we are out fishing, wondering if I had put my pots in the right place.

**dun dun dun...well guys should i make it easy for Sig or shall we go down the hard path? hehe**


	11. On The Road

Thanks to all who reviewed i love reviews keep em coming. this one is actually a pretty long one, i couldn't find a good place to stop so i just kept going, lucky for you guys i suppose. i've recategorized this fiction as a mystery... i'm not sure how it turned out to be a mystery but oh well.

Disclaimer: i don't own deadliest catch or any of the men on the show... to bad for me :o( and i know nothing about CIA or FBI operations i'm just a bored writer that is trying to think outside of the box and write a good fan fiction. I do not and will never make money from any fic I write so suing me would be just plain stupid and a waste of your time and mine.

as always ENJOY!

Chapter 11

"On The Road"

Splashing water onto my face I tried to wake myself. Not sleeping much the night before I stared into the mirror watching my reflection. My eyes studying myself carefully while I shaved off the two day beard. Wiping my face with a cool rag I set it on the counter, turning the water off. Wandering back into the bedroom I pulled on the light blue button down shirt over my t-shirt. Making my way down to the kitchen I took a deep breath of the fresh coffee that was brewing. Pouring a cup I took a sip from my coffee cup. Staring out the window waiting for my crew to arrive. Lost in thought I hadn't notice the cup empty. No liquid coming to my lips I looked to my coffee cup, surprised to find it empty. Turning on my heel I went into the kitchen to get a refill. The tiled floor cool against my feet I pondered why the hell I was drinking coffee with it already being over seventy degrees outside. Shrugging I approached the dining room table to grab a cigarette and sat down for a few moments. Grabbing a pad of paper and a pen I decided to make myself a list to make sure I had everything. Quickly I scribbled down some things on the yellow legal pad.

_1. smokes_

_2. Clothes_

_3. Truck_

_4. Shit to drink_

_5. Weapons? Must see what we have_

_6. Map, should already be marked_

_Tapping my fingers on the table I took a long drag of my cigarette before continuing my list. _

_7. Music_

_8. Pillows for sleeping in truck_

_9. Snacks, cookies would be nice or chips_

_Beside the list I wrote, don't forget to turn off the coffee maker. _

Hearing the front door open and close I stood from the table, smashing my cigarette butt into the overfilled ashtray. I called out. "Who's there?"

"It's me." Jake answered, rounding the corner.

"Ah, morning junior." I nodded, returning to my seat.

"What are you doing?"

"list." I stated simply. "You want to throw our bags in the bed of the truck? Mine are by the door."

"Sure thing, skipper." He nodded, leaving to do my bidding.

"How goes it?" Edgar asked, grabbing a cup of coffee.

"Fine."

"We ready?"

"Norman coming?"

"He's here."

"Then yes." I nodded throwing on a pair of white socks and a pair of black work boots, excited to get on the road.

Edgar and I approached Junior and Norman who were tossing things into the bed of my Dodge.

"How'd you get that cap so fast?" Norman asked, motioning to the cap on the bed of my truck.

"I'm just that good."

"I brought the beer…for us non drivers!" Jake smiled happily, holding a large blue cooler.

I quickly smacked him over the back of his head. "This isn't a party trip."

"Oww." Jake muttered setting down the cooler to rub the back of his head, while Edgar motioned for him to put the cooler into the bed of the truck anyway.

"Okay, I think we just about got everything." I muttered to myself. "Do we have any weapons?"

"I have a BB Gun!" Edgar yelled out, pulling the BB gun from the bed of the truck.

"What the hell is that going to do?" I asked, Norman and Jake began to laugh.

"Well…"Edgar trailed off in thought.

"That won't even injure a man if he's trying to kill us."

"It'll hurt a lot." Edgar muttered with a shrug looking somewhat hurt.

"What else we got?" I asked.

Each one of them looked at each other before replying. "Nothing."

Sighing I guessed it was time to jump into Serena's stash. We had found quite a few guns and knifes in her truck while we were going through it. "Alright, now if you kill someone with it, it becomes yours." I told them, distributing the guns.

We had all been hunting before so I knew we wouldn't have a problem with shooting, it was shooting another man that would be the problem.

"Put these in the cases in the bed." I instructed, turning on my heel I spotted Serena's truck. It didn't run but, I didn't think it would be a good idea to leave it out while we were gone. "Help me move Serena's truck."

"To where?" Edgar asked.

"Garage. Where else?"

"Why?"

"So no one sees it, genius." Norman laughed, smacking Edgars arm. He was always good at knowing what I was asking and why.

"How the hell are we going to do that?" Edgar asked, scratching his head.

"What are you the princess of questions?" I asked, pulling Serena's keys from my pocket.

"No, I'm the queen." he smirked, which didn't make it sound any better.

Getting into her truck I pushed the key into the ignition, pushing the key into the start position to roll down the window. "Get ready." I yelled out the window, pulling the shifter into neutral I let off the brake. "Push it, Edgar get at the back so we don't hit the back of the garage."

Norman and Jake pushed the truck back into the garage quicker than I thought they would. I waited for Edgar to tell me to stop. If he yelled I never heard him. I heard a loud crash, the sound of stuff falling. I slammed on the brake, throwing the truck into park I got out.

"What the fuck! You were supposed to tell me to stop!" I yelled, going to the back of the truck.

"I told you to stop." Edgar replied, laughing.

Rolling my eyes I inspected the damage. I hadn't realized there was a trailer hitch sticking out from the back of the truck. It stuck out about four inches which was now stuck in the drywall of the garage. The width of the hole at least three inches the heavy steel not forgiving on my poor drywall. "Push it out!" I growled unhappily. When we had pushed the truck up enough to still be in the garage but, was no longer sticking into my wall I put the truck in park, closing the door I went back to inspect the damage again.

"Holy shit." I exclaimed, staring at the three inch wide, four inch deep hole had insulation pulled from the inside of the wall.

Shaking my head while the men continued to laugh their asses off. I didn't see the humor in it, although if it hadn't been my property I probably would have been laughing too.

Suddenly a small mouse popped out of the wall, scaring Junior and Edgar half the death, both squealed like two girls at a Beatles concert in the fifties.

"Ah! Fuckin' mouse!" Jake squealed, nearly jumping out of his skin.

I think the mouse was more scared of them, I could have sworn it jumped as well as it made its escape out of the large garage door.

"Can't we ever do anything without destroying someone's property?" I laughed, not so angry anymore, Jake and Edgar being scared by a small mouse had made a small revenge, the big revenge on Edgar would come later. Even though I wasn't sure if Edgar had done it on purpose or not I still owed him.

"Alright, lets go." I ordered, shaking my head.

Closing and locking everything we pilled into the super cab, ready to get on the road. We wasted enough time messing around.

"Alright, navigator, which way?" I asked, throwing the map at Edgar.

"I don't know, why not punch in the destination into the GPS?"

"I hate that bitch, she's always telling me to go into the wrong direction." I told him.

"They fixed that, it doesn't do that anymore." Norman said from the back seat.

"Really?" I asked. "I guess we can try it."

Punching the destination into the GPS we finally were on our way down the road. Lighting a cigarette I opened the window to let in some air. The air conditioner running full blast as the unseasonably heat continued to make us bake. The bright sun climbing higher into the sky it was bright against the green grass. Pulling my sun glasses on Edgar threw in a CD to keep us entertained.

"What's for food?" Junior asked, leaning forward slightly.

"We'll stop soon and grab something's." I told him.

"Where's our first stop?" Edgar asked curiously.

"Some place in Idaho."

"Idaho, huh?"

"You suppose there's any hot girls in Idaho?" Jake asked.

"There's hot girls everywhere, you should know that by now." Edgar smiled.

"This is not a pussy mission." I rolled my eyes at them.

"That's what you say." Edgar smirked, raising and dropping his brows a few times.

"Not like we can do anything with them anyway." Norman reminded him.

"We can at least look." Edgar shrugged. "Besides, isn't there a state line rule?"

Shaking my head with a chuckle I pushed the accelerator a little harder, hoping to miss rush-hour traffic and have smooth sailing all the way there.

~~ Six Hours Later ~~

Fifteen minutes from our destination of Kooskia, Idaho I listened to the guys rendition of "on the road again" by Willie Nelson.

"On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again, The life I love is making music with my friends,I can't wait to get on the road again. Lalala dun dun duh duh…. Does anyone know the words?" Edgar sang along with the stereo.

"Noo, they just wait to get back to the chorus." Jake sang with him.

"On the road again…" the sang in unison again, making me laugh as I shook my head at them.

Turning the radio down slightly much to the men's dismay I listened for the next direction from the GPS.

"in two. One miles, make left hand turn." She said.

Driving forward I flicked the cigarette ash out of the window.

"In One. One Miles make left hand turn."

"Shut up." I growled at her. "What does she think I'm stupid?"

"I do." Edgar smirked.

We pulled up to a stop light and waited. "Make left hand turn, now."

We looked at each other with confusion. "We can't turn left here, it's a forest."

I proceeded through the green light. "You have missed your turn, find a legal place and make a U-turn immediately."

"What the fuck! I couldn't turn there you dumb bitch!" I yelled at the GPS whore.

"Go back, One half mile." She said.

Growling I turned off the GPS. "Grab the fucking map before I blow a gasket." I growled at Edgar, ready to throw the GPS whore right out the window and run her over with my tires.

"What are we looking for?" He asked.

"it's on that list." I said, pointing to the list that was with the map.

"Watch the road!" Edgar yelled, just to mess with me.

"I am." I growled, becoming more irritated with every passing second. "which way?"

"Ah.. The GPS meant a right hand turn, not a left."

Turning around and without further incident we made it to our first destination. A hotel named One Wild Night. Stepping out of the truck I stretched my legs looking around noticing there was only one large building with units on each side.

"Wait here." I instructed tossing my cigarette butt to the ground, making a b-line for the office of the small motel eyeing the flashing vacancy sign as I entered the already open door. Stopping at the large hotel desk I looked around the small office stuffy office. "Hello?"

"Coming." a woman called from a room behind the desk.

I waited for a few more seconds, pushing the sunglasses on top of my head.

"Hello there, sweetie." The older smiled her short gray hair blowing in the oscillating fan. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for someone." I tell her, grabbing a picture from my pocket. "Have you seen her?" I ask, showing the picture to her.

"Need my glasses." she smiled, picking up the green framed glasses from the desk she pushed them over her nose. Squinting as she looked at the photo. "Oh, I haven't seen her in months."

"Did she stay here often?"

"What are you a cop?" The woman asked, suddenly suspicious.

"No." I chuckle. "I'm just looking for my friend."

She eyed me for a few long moments before continuing. "I haven't seen her in about two months, I figured whatever business she was here on must have dried up." She shrugged.

"What business?"

"She never told me and I didn't care to ask."

"Does anyone in town know her?"

"You might try Kevin, he owns the local diner in town. She spent some time there."

"Thank you." I nod to her, turning on my heel to leave.

"Any luck?" Edgar asked as I climbed into the truck.

"Yes and no." turning on the truck we drove to the local diner.

"Can we get food?" Junior asked, suddenly excited.

I hadn't planned on staying in town for long. Pondering it for a second as I pulled into the diner parking lot I nodded. "Yeah, we can eat."

Piling out of the truck we entered the small diner. Every patron in the diner stopping what they were doing to eye us curiously. The seat yourself sign told us to pick a place and wait for someone to wait on us.

"I guess they don't see too many strangers." Edgar whispered as we sat in the booth.

"What did the hotel say?" Norman asked.

"Just that she hasn't been around in a few months but, she used to frequent the hotel every month or so." I told them.

"What the hell would she want here?" Edgar asked, looking around.

"I don't know." I shrugged as a young waitress with a small waist approached us.

She couldn't be more than eighteen. I hoped the guys wouldn't get too distracted by her, then again, maybe it would be a good thing if they did. Setting four glasses of water on the table she smiled. "What can I get ya?" she asked quite chipper, pad and pen in hand.

"What is a beautiful girl like you doing in a dump like this?" Jake asked with a flirtatious smile at the waitress.

"My dad owns it." She gave him a dirty look. "What'll you have?" she repeated.

"Burger and fries." Jake frowned.

"Same." Norman and Edgar answered.

"I'll have the same, is Kevin in today?" I asked.

"Who wants to know?" The girl asked, stuffing the pen into her apron. She eyed me, obviously unwilling to trust a stranger.

"I just want to ask him a few questions about her." I say, showing her the photo of Serena.

Her face immediately fell as she looked at the photo. "I'll see if he's in."

"Thanks." I said as she walked away.

"That was smooth." Edgar laughed at Jake.

"What? What'd I say?" Jake asked, having no clue why he had offended her.

A few minutes later a man approached our table, he stood at around 6 feet, his jet black hair and black goatee giving him a menacing look as he eyed us. His t-shirt had the sleeves cut off of them revealing many tattoos up and down each arm and on his neck.

"What you city boys want?" He asked.

"You Kevin?" I asked.

"Who wants to know?"

"I'm looking for information on her." I tell him, showing the picture to him.

"What the hell for?"

"I'm trying to find her."

"You cops?"

"Do we look like cops?" Edgar asked with a laugh.

"Why? The bitch finally get what she deserves?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on." he said, motioning me to follow him. I sat across from him at a private booth, wondering if I wanted to hear what he might have to say.

"What can you tell me about her?" I asked, lighting a cigarette, offering one to Kevin he accepted with a heavy sigh.

"Six months ago she comes blazing through town. Tells me she's an arms dealer, heard I needed some extra cash from one of my buddies out in Montana. Says all I gotta do is pick up a delivery for her every few weeks at the old abandoned mill a friend of a friend kind of thing, would be good money in for me. Naturally I accepted, barely afford to feed my kids right now."

"Doesn't sound so bad."

"It wasn't. the money was good. We started a fling, she'd come down here for business and we'd play around for awhile. Some nights she was alright, a little wild, but wild is good in the bedroom." He grinned happily. "One night we are hanging out after a business transaction. Bitch pulls a gun on me, takes her and my cut of ten thousand in cash, takes the guns, then has the balls to empty the twenty k in my safe. Takes off. Two days later FBI raid my diner looking for her and the guns. I hope I never lay eyes on her again." he shook his head in thought. "That bitch is crazy. She's a vixen, can get into a man's head. You looking to be her man? Turn around and go home, friend."

"I appreciate the advice."

"You better take it. I didn't and ended up broke and in jail for a few months."

I returned to our table deep in thought. Was she really working for a government agency or was she just a thief? The diner being raided a few days later tells me she probably was doing it for a job, but, why take his cash too? I knew he wasn't telling me the complete truth and I really didn't want to press him any further. There's always truth in lies and I wasn't going to rest until I found the truth every cold hard bit of it.


End file.
